Love Is This - This Is Love
by HeartsGuardianSol
Summary: AU. After the loss of their older sister Sarah, Mercy and Torri are taking care of their niece Annabelle. But even though Will has cut himself off from his daughter to protect them from the Decepticons, the past comes to strike home when they decided to attack. "The things we do for family is what we do out of love, because family IS love."
1. Prologue

To my old readers: I was attempting to work on my other fanfictions with little luck I might add... when I got bitten with this plot bunny and it wouldn't leave me alone. So I guess I've broken my writer's block in a way, though if any of my regular followers end up getting mad at me for not working on my other stories I'm sorry, and I'll eventually get back to them. Someday... For now I'm going to tap the unfathomed story that is currently plaguing me and see where it leads me.

Now as to any new readers that have come across my story here, It's my first attempt on anything in the Transformers universe, so hopefully it'll be okay... Just as a warning it's AU. This story picks up sometime after ROTF. And hey, Jazz is alive! Whooot! As to how... Well I gotta another story cooking on that one... But I'm not sure if it'll ever make it up here... It depends on my muse, who is very fond of the whole multiverse theory... but enough on that.

I'm somewhat untrustworthy with updates due to work and whatnot. But I will try my best to update as soon I get a chapter done... And I will try my hardest to make it at least weekly. There is a side story that is floating around here called The Reason She Left, which picks up around chapter 14 of this one.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

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Prologue

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_This was not supposed to happen. This could not be happening... Lt. Colonel William Lennox stared at the burning remains of what had once been his home. Shock held his body tightly in its grasp as a flood of emotions- rage, worry, fear, despair, sorrow- whipped it's way through him._

_"Daddy!" A coughing cry rang out from the chaos and a blonde haired child darted out to tackle him, sobbing hysterically. Her tears broke Will from his stasis and he tightly wrapped his arm around his child crying himself. "Anna... It's okay. It's okay. Tell me what happened to mommy." He pleaded, but as he spoke this he glanced up to see Ironhide slowly walking over to lay a scorched, battered body to the ground not too far away from them._

_An anguished howl tore its way through Will's throat. "**SARAH!**"_

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The tension at the repast was thick enough to cut with a knife. Annabelle had cried herself to sleep for the third time that day. The seven year old understood that her mother was gone, but not what had happened nor why. Will had spent most of the time in a stupor, unable to come to terms with his loss... Though, from intel at the base he wasn't the only one from NEST that had been targeted. There was talk from both the Autobots and the JCS about what should be done.

He heard the same two words 'We're sorry' over and over from Sarah's friends, her coworkers, his comrads that hadn't been attacked, Ironhide... but the largest part of the tension came from a pair of young women, identical twins, Sarah's sisters. Both had chestnut colored hair and matching green eyes red from crying. Their sharp angled noses were also red from the crying, their cheeks flushed though whether it was from the crying he wasn't too sure...

He knew the one that was glaring at him was ready to rip his throat out. She'd been the one to comfort Annabelle as the child had fallen asleep. The other one was weary and worn from trying to rein in her sister. With a growl at her twin she threw her hand in the air and walked over to Will leaving the angry one to glare on.

"Will."

"Uh..." _God which one is it?_

"Mercy." she irritably supplied her name form him. "Could we go for a walk? I don't think I could keep Torri off you much longer."

"Sure."

They strolled around the peaceful church in quiet.

"I can't believe this." Mercy said quietly.

"I know what you mean." Will stared at the sunset. He instantly regretted this when a fist connected with his nose.

"How dare you?!" She yelled as she then kicked him. "This is all _your_ fault!" Mercy screamed at him. Tears ran from her bloodshot green eyes.

"Mercedes!" hands pulled the raving woman off of him. She fought with her twin who was whispering into her ear in a futile attempt to calm her down. Several others had come to pull her back inside the church. Leaving him with the other twin.

"Argh." Will groaned as he crawled into a sitting position. He winced when the woman planted her feet solidly in his field of view. He glanced up at her as she knelt into the dirt and gripped his chin.

"Hold still." she said harshly. "I want to see if she broke your nose." she poked and prodded his nose, excitating a hiss from him at which she smiled at. "You should be glad it was Mercy and not me. I would have done more than break your nose. You're fine." she said shoving him away from her.

"Thanks doc."

"Don't thank me." she icily replied as she crossed her arms and glared off into the distance.

"I'm sorry..."

"Mercy's wrong."

"Hm?"

"It's not completely your fault." Torrine said tightly. "It's partly mine. If I had never met you she would be _here._"

"Torri you don't know that..." Will said as she kicked the dirt angrily. Her hard green gaze focused on him. "Fate is a bitch. There's no telling if that is true."

"But you can't say that it isn't."

The two of them sat there, an uneasy heavy silence fell between the two of them. Eventually she was the one she broke the silence with, "What will you do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tell me _sir,_ what will you be doing now." she growled. "I know your type. You're just like me, married to the service. So what are you going to do about Annabelle?"

This hadn't completely occurred to him. He couldn't take her to the base with him... and Torri was right... After this incident he wouldn't be surprised if those that still wanted to work in the NEST division would have to relocate their families.

"Tell me, this isn't the end of your working life is it?"

Will let out a sigh. "No..."

"I won't pretend that I know what you do in that NEST Division, but... If the assholes you're fighting can do this, how can you keep her safe?"

"I..."

"Think about it and let us know. After all we're the only family she has left besides you." Torri said coldly as she walked away from him and back into the church.


	2. Chapter 1 Rules & Memories

Holy Green Guacamole! I couldn't believe how fast I wrote this chapter... Though truth be told this one kinda shoved the original chapter 1 out the window so it could be first instead. But luckily that means chapter 2 is already half written... Yays!

I was/am having difficulty with trying to put proper scene breaks In with spacing.. so I used all the X's for scene breaks.

Anywho disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. Thank you. Now, enough from me and on to the story!

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Chapter 1: Rules & Memories

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Will Lennox groaned as another stack of files hit his desk. He glared at the private, who made a hast retreat out of his office. _God I wish I could just take a nap... How the hell are there so many Decepticons but so few Autobots? _will thought as he rummaged through his desk for the bottle of Tylenol stashed in the drawer.

His hand grazed a picture frame, and he paused for a moment before pulling out the double picture frame. One side was a picture of Sarah with a young Annabelle . The other side held a more recent picture of Annabelle and her aunt Mercy, The only way he could tell it was her was because they were both covered in grease and oil, standing to Mercy's prized 1971 Dodge Charger. His heart ached as he trace Sarah's face with his finger. "I miss you.."

"Tough day I see."

Will instantly sobered up and the picture frame was in the drawer in a heart beat. He smiled at Ironhide's holoform which was standing in the doorframe eyeing the desk. _God I hope he didn't hear me. _Will thought as he said, "I think I'd actually prefer, taking out Decepticons compared to this mess."

The neon blue eyes of the holoform was still trained on the corner of the desk that Will had just been in. "I wasn't talking about the paperwork."

_Shit. _Will thought as he flinched. "I'm fine."

"If you say so." Ironhide said as he crossed his arms and gave will a pointed stare. A heavy silence fell between the two of them as Will went back to the paperwork. It was about another five minutes when Ironhide broke it with, "It's been two months."

Will frowned and looked up with a 'what the hell' look. "If that was true do you think I'd have so many reports on my desk?"

"I meant that it has been two months since Annabelle last wrote you."

"Oh." Will said quietly as his gaze fell to the drawer. "Well... she _is _a teenager. She's probably got all that girly stuff on her mind. Like makeup and clothes and... and..."

"Males?" Ironhide supplied.

Will shot him a sour look. "Lord I hope not."

"You are the one that suggested that she-"

"Yeah, yeah. but honestly I'm not too worried about _that_. I'm more worried for any poor soul willing to date her."

"Hm?" Ironhide raised a brow.

"Mercy." Will shuddered.

"Ah the psychopathic aunt."

"That woman is pure evil. Did I ever tell you what she did to me when I dated her twin? She tied me to a tree covered in poison ivy with the damned vines. Then when Torri and I broke up she swapped out my toothpaste with Vagisil and put blue dye in my shampoo." Will shuddered. "And when Sarah and I started going out she clubbed me in the head with a torque wrench!" he shook his head at the memory. "So honestly, I don't think any sane boy will be able to get within dating range of my Annabelle..."

A rough silence fell between the two of them as Will went through the paperwork.

"Do you think she's still mad at you?" The question striking a cord in Will.

"Who?"

"Annabelle."

"I... I don't know anymore."

Before he could reply Ironhide got a 'off in the distance' look he got when ever someone commed one of the Autobots in their holoforms. "I've got to go cover a shift for the idiots again." he growled he retrained his attention on the holoform.

"Right well have fun with that." Will said as he gave him a thumbs up. The holoform scoffed and vanished in a shower of sparks as Ironhide dismissed it.

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Will had tried to get back to the paperwork but was distracted from conversation with his partner... His thoughts straying to rules and his daughter...

It had been almost ten years since the attack on NEST soldiers and the bases. lives had been lost, and protocol was stricter. Those who had been targeted had been reassigned and their families relocated. Their base at Diego Garcia had been abandoned seeing as it had been the first site of the attacks. Those who still remained in the NEST division had been forced to obey stricter rules on outside communications. All phone and video calls had to be made secure lines.

But at both the Aunts and wills decision he begrudgeonly cut off all calls of any sort and resorted to snail mail for communicating with Annabelle. Letters were all they had connecting the two of them and it wasn't enough. In the beginning they had wrote each other every week. but as time passed and missions came and went it was maybe once a month now that Will was actually able to take the time to write her a letter.

It pained him to know that he had missed most of her childhood. And the last time he had even seen his daughter had been over four years ago when Torri had been injured in the line of duty. And it was then he had first learned of her resentment of their arrangement...

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_Flashback four years prior..._

_The first thing he had heard when he had stepped out of Ironhide's cabin was Mercy's spiteful inquiry._

_"What are _you_ doing here?" the currently green haired woman glared from her position against the hospital wall. She had taken to dying her hair so that he could tell them apart. plus it irked her sister's ire every time she saw the odd colors of Mercy's hair._

_"I heard about Torri. Is she okay?"_

_"She's out right now, they gave her something for her head."_

_"Where's Annabelle?"_

_"Annie's up there with her. She wouldn't come down here with me."_

_"Right." Will tried to thin of something to say. His eyes taking in Mercy's disheveled state, from her clothes, to the dark bags under her blood shot green eyes. Her naturally healthy tan skin was pale. She looked like she was about to cry or start throwing things at any moment. "Um... Do you need a shoulder to cry on?"_

_"Touch me and they will be wheeling you right on in to this place." Mercy spat before flinching. she sighed and tried to gather a weak semblance of composure. "I'm sorry..." she apologized quickly after, tears in her voice. "I... I didn't mean to snap at you. I just can't deal with this. I can't go up there right now. I can't see her like that."_

_"So did they tell you what happened?"_

_"She was running to help a downed soldier when she of all things stepped on a landmine. At least that's what they told me."_

_"And the damage?"_

_"She lost her right leg up to the knee, cracked skull and a nasty concussion to top it, four broken ribs, two cracked, and a shattered wrist." Mercy said as she subconsciously rubbed her own wrist in empathy. Worry was written all over Mercy._

_"She'll be alright. After all she's just like you. Tough, resilient, and stubborn as all hell."_

_"Right..." Mercy said tightly._

_Will cautiously put a arm over her shoulders. He was instantly given a venomous glare. "Besides you won't let her wallow in self pity."_

_"Thanks... But arm off." She shrugged him off of her._

_"So uh... Which room is she in?"_

_"416."_

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_Annabelle sat perched next to her aunt's bed, waiting for her to wake back up. The last two weeks had been utter hell for both her and her aunt Mercy as they waited for Torri to be stabilized and transferred back stateside... And now that she was here, it was painful to see her so broken, so helpless in the bed... Her aunt Torri had never been helpless. _Never._ She was the one that helped everyone else._

_a soft knock on the door brought Annabelle from her thoughts. She glanced up and saw the last person she expected to see. "Dad?" The twelve year old blinked at him before scrambling out of her chair, only to trip over it in the process. He caught her before she could collide head first into his legs. _

_After all it had been six years since she had last seen him... Six long years..._

_After the tears had stopped the two of them sat there talking for the longest time before a groan from Torri brought their attention to the reason they were there._

_"Hey there Doc. Long time no see."_

_"Sir." Torri grunted weakly from the bed. "Not long enough." she grinned as she watched him act like he was stricken by her words. "How long you here for?"_

_"Just today. I've got to make my way back to base for a pile of reports I've gotta file."_

_"Lucky me."_

_"I would say so. Especially with the whole landmine thing."_

_"I don't feel lucky. I feel like shit." She coughed painfully. _

_After calling the nurse in to give her more pain meds, Will asked her the same thing she had asked him six years ago. "What will you do now?"_

_"I'm out. They won't take me back like this and you know it... but... I'm not going to let this get me down." she said with a sleepy grin. "After all I am a doctor. There's always a need for doctors."_

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_Annabelle had opted for walking Will back down to his truck. He had said very little the last half an hour and was biting her bottom lip._

_Will turned to her and hugged her, "Well... I guess this is goodbye."_

_Annabelle looked at the ground as she fought her internal battle only to lose as a soft and simple, "Why?" slipped past her lips._

_Will blinked at his daughter as he felt his heart weigh heavily on that on single word. "Anna... You know that what I do is to keep you and everyone else safe. It's dangerous and I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt."_

_Annabelle looked up at him her hazel eyes hard. "You don't think this doesn't hurt me?" the preteen asked in a tone reminiscent of Mercy's_

_"Annabelle-"_

_"I'm the only military brat that I know, that never gets to see or talk with their parents! Even Aunt Torri at least called me and Mercy when she could! I haven't seen you in years!" tears ran down her face as she let all of her frustration out._

_"_Annabelle!_" the girl flinched as her aunt came to stand behind her. "Go check in on your Aunt Torri."_

_"But-"_

_"After you apologize to your father and say good bye. Properly."_

_Annabelle closed her mouth and mutely nodded to her Aunt. She turned to Will and muttered, "I'm sorry Dad. I love you and I hope you have a safe trip." she monotonously said before turning and running off into the hospital. _

_Will stared after her with an even heavier guilt laden heart as he watched as she stormed away from him._

_"I'm sorry." Will blinked at Mercy with wide eyes. It was rare for her to apologize to anyone... and it was the first time she had ever done so to him. The woman sighed irritably, "I didn't think she'd say that."_

_"You knew she was mad?"_

_"I wouldn't say mad per se, It's just that she resents our arrangement."_

_End Flashback..._

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Annabelle had stopped writing every week after that. He still wrote her, but things just weren't the same... Will sighed as he pulled out a slip of paper...


	3. Chapter 2 Boys

Many thanks to my readers and especially my two reviewers favers and follwers Answerthecall, Wacko12, McCrane55, and Peacefuldeer21, mishkakikia96.

Okay so quick explanation time! This is set in an alternate universe than the movies, However the events of RotF did happen in this universe. It has now been the better part of ten to eleven years in which this story is set in. Thank you.

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Chapter 2: Boys

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Merci glared out the window as she fiercely scrubbing the dishes when Torri shuffled slowly into the kitchen.

"What they hell has gotten you so riled up? You're giving me a headache."

"Take a look for yourself." Mercy nodded out the window as she stepped aside for Torri to look out.

Torri noted the moving truck parked in the street. "I see someone's finally moving into the McCann place."

"Yeah take a look again." Mercy growled as she dried her hands.

Torri raised a brow at her twin before taking a second glance as she watched two young men, one about Anna's age, the other a few years older. Both had dark tanned skin, both were about the same height of six foot, the only discerning detail at this distance was that one had shaggy red hair while the others was a messy mop of blue black.

"Oh... Boys."

"_Teenage_ boys." Mercy growled.

Torri shook her head at her sisters prejudice. "I swear I'd think you were a lesbian if I didn't know you better." Mercy shot Torri a venomous look. "Mercy they're only boys-"

"Cute boys." Mercy grumbled. _I highly doubt that Annabelle will be able to ignore the only two people her age on the block. Hell It's the reason we moved here in the first place. Nothing but old people and married couples with young children._

Torri let out an exasperated sigh as she caught a bit of her sister's train of thought, and glanced at the clock. "Annabelle should be getting home from work soon. Let's prove your theory and go meet the neighbors. I can safely assumed that you have some cupcakes stashed around here somewhere don't you?"

Mercy cursed her baking habits. She only baked when she was pissed or worried about something. "They're in the oven."

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Annabelle smiled at her coworker as they pulled up next to the curb. "Thanks again for the lift Sheila."

"It's no problem... Though I have to admit that it's a shame you're quitting already."

"It's the whole education over money rule my aunts have. I can have a job in the summer but as soon as school begins..." Annabelle said as she got out.

"Mm... eyecandy..." Annabelle frowned and glanced over at the other girl. She wasn't even paying attention to her anymore. Annabelle followed her gaze to find two guys moving a couch across the lawn of the house next door. As she shut the door the sound caught one of the twosome's attention, bringing up a set of electric blue eyes that held her in place.

"An-""-a-""-Belle!" Her aunts chorused from the door, causing her to be the one to break their eye contact. She eyed her Aunts warily as she made her way to the house. It was never a good thing when they synced.

"Aunt Mercy... why do you have cupcakes?" Annabelle eyed them nervously.

"Torri decided to go meet the neighbors so come on." Mercy said with a menacing glint in her eyes as she marched across the yard.

"Um... Aunt Torri?"

"Yes Anna?"

"You are positive she didn't poison those right?"

"As far as I know they aren't." Torri said with a weak smile.

"Hi there!" Mercy said sweetly as the two boys stepped out of the house. The red headed boy paused briefly, a motion that the other one copied. "We brought you a nice house warming gift." Mercy held up the cupcakes.

"Um... Thank ya Ma'am." The redhead smiled. He said in a slight southern drawl.

"My name's Mercy Hawkins, this is my sister Torri, and my niece Annabelle."

"Pleasure to meet ya, name's Oliver and this is my brother Blue." He nodded at the older boy.

"Nice to meet you. Are you two twins?"

"Yes." The aunts answered simultaneously. "So how old are the two of you?" "And where are you parents?" Annabelle hated when she couldn't tell which of them spoke.

"I'm seventeen... and Blue's twenty-two.. And our parents... well they're..."

"Sadly they are not with us any more. They passed a long time ago." Blue supplied.

"Oh how sad... I'm sorry to bring up bad memories..." That one was Torri, and it was then that Annabelle made her move.

"Aunt Torri aren't you going to be late for your shift at the ER?" Annabelle interrupted. "And don't you have a date Mercy?"

"Yeah with my car. I've got to go pick up some more parts for the Etsel someone brought in..." Mercy glanced up at the sky. "Of course I could just make them wait..."

"Come on Mercy." Torri said as she hauled the mechanic away, each glaring at the other one.

Annabelle sighed a sigh of relief. "Sorry about that. They don't intend to be so brash." Annabelle apologized.

"It's alright." Oliver said as glanced under the tinfoil.

"I had a pair of friends like that." Blue smiled. "Though they were more mischievous than anything else."

"Well... Anyways since the only other normal question to ask you is where are you from?"

"Austin, Texas."

Annabelle whistled. "That's quite a drive."

"Tell me about it. I got stuck driving da moving van the whole time." Oliver grinned.

"Well anyways I should be letting you guys get back to moving in... so um... yeah..." Annabelle said as she tried to think of something to say. "Welcome to Roseland." Annabelle waved as she made her way back to her house.

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A/N: They live in Roseland Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.


	4. Chapter 3 Speed

Okay here is what remains of the original chapter 1 as it is now apparently 3... And the only reason I've got two updates in one day is because the site was being a real pain in the aft yesterday. But yays enjoys!

Oh and Answerthecall... You are half right...

Disclaimer: I do not own transformers. Thank you for your patronage and read on. Have a nice day. n.n

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Chapter: 3 Speed

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Several weeks later...

The air was stifling betwix the heart and the humidity. All was quiet in the house save for the whimpering that came out of Annabelle's room as she tossed and turned on her bed, the sheets strewn to the floor... caught deep within a nightmare..

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_The thundering sound of metal hitting metal, the blaze of fire as the house blew apart around them. Titans brawled in the haze as her mother shoved her out of the house... just as the ceiling to the room collapsed..._

_"Mommy!"_

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"NO!" Annabelle cried as she shot straight up into sitting position in her bed, her hands reaching out into the darkness, as it took a minute for her mind to click and realize she was safe and in her bed... seconds before her door burst inward and her aunts stood there both armed, one with a wrench, the other with a bat.

"What's wrong?" "We heard you scream." the replied simultaneously. The one with the wrench scanned the room before checking the window with a sigh.

"Another nightmare?"

The sixteen year old groaned and flopped back into her bed. _Not the talk. Please not the talk..._

"You know that you can talk to us if you need to." Her aunt Torri said from the door frame.

"I'm fine really. Just let me get some more sleep..." Annabelle mumbled.

Both aunts stared at her in concern for a minute before Torri sighed and walked out. "Fine with me, I've a thirteen hour shift starting in the morning. Mercy don't keep her up."

Mercy followed her sister but stopped at the door. "How about we do something cool for your birthday?"

"But that isn't for like a month..."

"So we could start planning now."

"Does it involve me getting my own car?"

"Who said I'm giving you a car? Torri would kill me if I did."

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Mercy was humming cheerfully as she fiddled around the kitchen when Annabelle walked in the next morning. Annabelle yawned as she sat down at the table. Seconds later a large slice of cake was plopped in front of her.

"You didn't sleep last night did you?"

"What make you say that?"

"You mean besides the cake and the fact that your hair is fire engine red?" Annabelle said as she poked at the cake. "Torri's going to be mad at you."

"She's already gone to work. Now eat up, I don't want you to be late for class." Mercy said going through the mail. "Plus you got a package."

"Who's it from?"

"No address. So most likely, _him_." Mercy glared at it. If only looks could kill... that package would have been incinerated.

Annabelle took another weak bite of the cake before getting up to look over the brown wrapped package. she pulled a knife from a drawer and slit the paper and the tape on the box open to reveal two smaller boxes and a letter.

_To my beautiful girl,_

_I finally got some down time and I figured that I'd get this sent off to you before your birthday comes and goes on me. Things have been moderately busy here on base with new recruits and with an increase in enemy activity... _

_Anyways, I got your care package, tell Mercy thanks for the pink sparkly pj's. Ha ha. the guys got a pretty good laugh out of it. I glad that you passed driver's training finally and I wanted to congratulate you, But you lacked to tell me which one of your aunts taught you how to drive, Lord I hope it was Torri._

_You are more and more beautiful everyday, and you remind me so much of your mother. She would love you with all her heart and more. She'd also probably want me there to scare the boys off of you. _

_Well I've got to be going, but before I go, the bigger of the two boxes is from Ironhide, which he sends his love. The smaller one, Is of course from me._

_All of my love and more,_

_Your Father._

_P.S. Don't do anything your Aunt Mercy would do._

"Oh come on! I'm not that freaking bad." Mercy growled as she threw her hands up in the air. "I swear I want to strangle that man." Mercy moved back as Annabelle raised a brow.

"Seriously? Reading over my shoulder?"

"I had to make sure it wasn't from a secret admirer. I don't feel like cracking some skulls today... Besides with my luck Torri would be the one fixing them up."

"And I wonder why I don't have a boyfriend."

"No dating till you're seventeen. You know the rules. So are you going to open them up or not?"

"No time. School starts in fifteen minutes."

"Shit!" Mercy grabbed her keys. "Come on!"

XxX

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XxX

In the car speeding on the way to the school...

"You're going to get a ticket." Annabelle commented.

"Nah George is patrolling on this sector today. He won't stop me if he wants me to double check his squad car." Mercy said as she weaved the charger in and out of traffic. She risked a glance at her quiet niece.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Really?"

No reply came from Annabelle which drew a long sigh from Mercy.

Mercy's cell rang from it's perch on the dash. She pressed the speaker phone button. "Shit Mercy slow the hell down!" A gruff elderly mans voice chirped.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm almost there." she snapped. " I'll slow down once I get to my shop. Don't forget to bring the Ghost in today." She slowed down just enough to skid into place next to the curb loudly.

"Out you go, have a good day, remember no talking to boys." And as soon as she was out of the car, it peeled off just as fast as it had come in. Her car was quickly replaced by Blue's silver Datsun.

"Damn that's fast. Should she be going that fast? That's not safe." Annabelle shook her head with a smile at Oliver's brother.

"Like you're one to talk Blue." Oliver snapped. "I should be kissing the ground beneath my feet with the way you drive sometimes." He said as he closed the door to the Datsun 240z. "You know we could have given you a lift."

"And risk my aunt murdering you if anything happened?" She grinned.

"True..." Oliver thought back to the first time he had went over to hang out with Annabelle.

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_Mercy smiled innocently as she turned around to find him hesitantly standing by the edge of the garage doorway. "Is there something I can do for you Mr. Ariete?" she said as she grabbed a towel to wipe the grease from her hands._

_"I was curious if Annabell was home... I was hoping that she could show me around the town."_

_Mercy raised a brow as she took and cleaned the wrench she had been using. "I Suppose I have no problem with that on three accords. 1. No speeding. I'll have you know I'm friends with several of the local cops, 2. You're not to go into the city for any reason, and 3..." sinister glint came to her eyes as Oliver found himself looking into the heart of all evil it's self... "If you touch my niece in any offensive way you __**will**__ suffer."_

_x_

_x_

Oliver shuddered... What was the start of a beautiful friendship was already stained by the promise of blood to be spilled. Not that he even had any intentions to _ do _anything anyways. "I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't do some hoodoo and resurrect me just to kill me again..."

"Can she really do that?" Blue said with wide eyes.

"No-" Oliver was cut off by the warning bell. "Crap I'm going to be late." he grumbled as he turned to Annabelle, only to find her gone. "Gee thanks for waiting up!" He called to her retreating back.

"Then you shouldn't daydream." She shot back as they made their way into the building together.

Oliver raised a brow at the 'Mercy like' tone. "Forgive me. geez... what's got you so cranky."

"Between the lack of sleep and not getting any coffee for breakfast? Nothing." she snapped.

"Okies... I'm gonna go on to class... Talk to you in gym." He said defensively as he quickly dodged into the science lab.

Annabelle breathed as sigh as the hall emptied out. She stood there by her lockers trying to quell her temper. _It's not his fault that I'm pissed. I'll have to apologize to him later..._

"Aren't you late for class Miss Lennox?" The principal called from the end of the hall. She closed her locker hastily as she shot him a glare and scurried on to her class.


	5. Chapter 4 Questions

Okay I 'm back with a new chapter. Yays. I do have to note that I think I'm going to be forced to raise the rating on this story mostly because of the next chapter... and because of Mercy's ill tempered cursing. I've realized there is a lot of angst in this story which never really intended... truly it completely blindsided me as I began working on the next -yeah I said next- chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't Own Transformers.

* * *

Chapter 4: Questions

Annabelle yawned as she glared at her trigonometry homework. _I swear this should be illegal..._ she thought as she glanced at the clock which displayed, 4:35 pm. Her aunt Mercy would be home soon... But she wouldn't be pleased with Annabelle if she didn't at least have half of her homework done... _Argh! _she beat her head on the desk. Her eyes light up on her presents from Ironhide and her dad...

x

X

x

Mercy grinned as she zipped into her driveway, into the garage, and cut the engine. She patted the wheel as she got out. _Ah the pleasures of having office hours... _She thought happily as she stretched her muscles. As she walked out of the garage her ears caught the sound of an argument...

"NO DON'T PULL THAT WIRE!" A loud bang came from the garage next door followed by a yelp of pain

Frowning Mercy grabbed her tool kit and ran over. There was an odd mechanical whirling as Mercy approached the garage, frowning even more she grabbed the door knob and flung it open. "Are you two okay?!" She asked as she burst in to find Blue picking his brother up off of the floor. She walked over as Oliver was place on a bench and set her kit down. "What the hell happened?"

"Ah pulled in a spark plug wire by accident." Oliver mumbled before wincing as she grabbed his hands.

"Electrical burns... Shit you need to go to the hospital." she growled at the welts on his fingertips. The boy stiffened, causing Mercy to glanced up to see the tinge of fear in his eyes. She stared at him long and hard before sighing as she flipped open her kit and pulled out a small first aid kit.

She mutely bandaged Oliver's fingers as the twosome watched her nervously. When she finished she walked over to the car and shut the hood down, and sat on the hood of the car, arms crossed staring at them both. neither spoke a word as that insane woman glared at the two of them.

"Well?" she finally asked breaking the silence, her tone neutral. "I want an explanation."

"What do ya want me to say Ms. Hawkins?" Oliver didn't make eye contact. She glanced over at Blue who poignantly was looking away his skin flushed.

"Where are your parents really?"

"In Austin."

"Alive?"

"..."

Mercy took his silence as a yes. "Why'd you run away?" He flinched at the question confirming her suspicion

"Why do ya care?"

"I don't... not really... I want to make sure you two aren't doing anything stupid and illegal." Mercy said as she uncrossed her arms and rapped her fingers irritably on the hood of the car.

"I can assure you that we aren't doing anything illegal Ms. Hawkins." Blue said in a strained voice as he continued to keep his gaze off of her, His electric blue eyes lighter than they were before.

"... Fine then. But if you ever do need to talk you can tell me." Mercy said sliding off the hood of the car. She spun around and reopened the hood.

"What are you doing?" Blue choked from behind her.

"You said he accidentally pulled the spark plug wires. I figured I'd make sure he didn't yank out anything else when he got shocked." Mercy said as she leaned over the engine and started checking over the wires and tubing.

"Uh... Ms. Hawkins... Maybe you should stop- I mean I really doubt I messed anything up in there..." Oliver blurted from behind her.

"I'll have you know that I do know what I am doing... Geez it's filthy in here." she said running her fingers along the block head. The car shuddered around her. Mercy jumped back with a curse as the car pulled back and then began to transform in front of her.

She stared at the car as it formed into a robot who was crouched down right in front of her.

"For the love of Primus femme, keep your hands to yourself!" Blue's voice screamed from the robot. She glanced over to where the boy had been standing to find him gone. Mercy retrained her eyes to the robot her face going pale. "Fragging pit you can't just touch a mech like that! What the pit's the matter with you?!" A fist hit the concrete beside her.

"B-Blue?" she squeaked as she stared up in shock into the robot's electric blue eyes.

"Blue calm down!" Oliver chastised from his bench.

"What the hell..." It was about this time that Mercy's shock had worn off. "What the hell?!" she yelled. She turned on Oliver and pointed at Blue. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Calm down Ms. Hawkins-" Oliver tried to calm her.

"First, It's Mercy! Don't call me that it makes me feel _old_! Second your so called brother is a freaking robot-"

"Alien." Blue interjected.

Mercy frowned as she paused to stare at him. A heavy silence fell in the garage. "You're an alien?" _Haha take that Torri I was f*cking right! _she cheered in her head. What she didn't expect was the feeling of minute curiosity that followed the thought. She shook her head and growled. _Stay out of my head! _The feeling subsided with a mental grumble from the other end: _Lord, I hate being a twin. _

"Ms. Hawkins..? Hello?" Oliver was waving a hand in her face. She caught his wrist in a fierce grip.

"I said call me Mercy. If you can't do that I can live with Mercedes." she growled as she released Oliver's wrist.

"Yes ma'am." The boy gulped.

"Boy you are soo lucky old lady McCann drove a monster truck." She chuckled as she inspected the Alien robot. He was mostly grey and black with red on his legs and chevron. "Sooo If you're an alien... what is your name and where are you from?"

"My designation is Bluestreak. I am an Autonomous Robotic Organism from the planet Cybertron."

"Auto-no-" Mercy stumbled over the word.

"It's Autobots for short.." Blue chuckled.

"Why are you here? Why aren't you on Cybertron?"

"There was... a war. One that ravaged our planet, subsequently destroying it and it's capability to sustain life. I crashed on this planet in the year 1947-"

"Wait a minute. _1947? _As in _Roswell _1947?" Mercy interjected.

"Actually it was in a place you call Corona."

Mercy cursed before saying, "I knew that Roswell couldn't be fake." She grinned before quickly frowning. "Wait a minute... That B.S. that happened back about nine or ten years ago with those weird Decpticreeps or whatever they were calling themselves on the television-"

"The Decepticons?!" Blue asked nervously.

"Uh yeah... I think that was it. Anywho, the government said it was all fake, but seeing as you are here I'm going to guess that it wasn't. There was this massive search for this poor college kid and a whole bunch of attacks all around the globe before everything calmed down again..."

"Hey Blue... Aren't the Decepticons the one you told me wanted everyone dead and whatnot?" Oliver asked.

"Yes... If things calmed down then that means that my comrades are here." Blue smiled but it soon fell from his face. "If only I could use my comlink I'd be able to find them to let them know I'm here."

"Wait you can find each other with like sonar and shit?"

"Kinda." Blue said irritably. "Normally I would broadcast that I'm here on the Autobot frequencies but unfortunately my system was damaged rather severely. My internal healing programs are running at a bare minimum at the current time."

"Well hell I'm surprised that no one's found you for the better part of seventy years." Mercy said skeptically.

"I've been in stasis almost as long as I've been on this rock. My internal systems shut down and I was locked like that until..." Blue trailed off as he glanced at Oliver who was looking down.

"Until?" Mercy raised a brow. She followed the bot's gaze to the boy who was looking very uncomfortable.

"Until the night I was attacked by my family." Oliver said tightly.


	6. Chapter 5 Appalling Circumstances

The violence T-T ... I did cry while writing this.

This chapter is definitely on the gory / viscous side of things just for the record and those of weak stomachs and damageable psyches might wanta wait for the next chapter... before reading on. There is a fair amount of child abuse in this chapter and it is not pretty. Oh wait I just remembered the right saying! **Viewer discretion is advised.**

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

And Many thanks to my constant reviewer: Answerthecall n.n Thanks!

* * *

Chapter 5: Appalling Circumstances.

x

x

x

"Attacked you? Why in the hell would they do that?!" Mercy gaped at Oliver.

"I made a mistake in coming out of the closet to my mother about being gay." Oliver said quietly. "I was raised in a strict Christian household, where my father ruled with an iron thumb. We weren' allowed to watch television or listen to the radio unless 't was approved by him first. He believed that his sons should be manly men and know how to hunt, fish, and run the family ranch. I was never good at the outdoorsy stuff save for shootin, but it ahways pissed him off. So he'd always have one o my brothers toughen me up. After all, if they didn't leave bruises who could say anything right? But my mother... she would always patch me up and comfort me after they had done it.. Ah used t tell er everythin..." He sobbed his Texan accent coming out stronger as his were emotions frayed by the memories. "Ah tol er bout m bein gay..."

Mercy's eyes widened as a pit of dread started to grow in her stomach. "Oliver you don't need to continue if you don't want to..."

The boy shook his head as he tried to futilely to clear his head. "Ah gotta get thi off m chest or Ahma go nuts." He said taking several deep breaths, and when he spoke again his accent was thinner. "I tol mama I was gay... An she told m dad."

Oh God... Mercy cringed at this.

"They stripped me nekkid an started t whip me, literally claimin they was trying t beat th devil outta me... But ah got loose...

X

_Flashback_

_Jacen Oliver Knox was running hard through the junk yard he sought to seek escape in, his bare feet bloody and torn, digging harshly into the dirt as he tried to put some distance between him and his pursuers. He tripped over a random pipe, sending him sprawling into the dirt, stones and metal bits biting into his bare flesh..._

_"Release the dog." a gruff voice said loudly somewhere in the distance. Jace's eyes widened as he painfully scrambled to his feet and continued to run deeper into the scrap metal piles. When he finally came to a dead end he cursed and searched for anything to defend himself... fining nothing her began to climb the piled cars as the dog, a large bloodhound caught his bare ankle and pulled on him._

_Oliver cried out as pain blossomed from the dog's sharp canines . He lost his grip on the wall and fell to the metal strewn earth below landing harshly on the attacking beast. Oliver let out a growl as he kicked at the dog with his free leg. "Let go of me!" he yelled kicking at his uncle's dog._

_"Found you, you perverted little F*ck." His uncle Issac spat on him as he caught a handful of Oliver's hair in his hand and lifted the boy up. Oliver hissed at the pain as he flailed his free limbs out trying to break free as more hands caught his own, forcing them behind his back as his own brothers tied his wrists together... He screamed at them earning a harsh punch in the jaw._

_His uncle held his head so that he could look forward as his father Jedidiah walked forward with a grimace written across his face. Tears came to Oliver's eyes as he saw the hatred in his father's eyes. "D-Dad..." He tried to speak around the blood that was pooling in his mouth._

_It earned him a punch in the gut as brother Thomas growled, "Shut up."_

_"I knew you were nothing but a worthless piece of shit." His brother Kane punched him in the head. "Nothing but a f*cking faggot."_

_"Fa-ther PPlease make th-them stop." Oliver spat up more blood._

_"Don't you dare call me that." his father growled as he lunged forward with the cattle prod in his hand. The others quickly released him before the prod struck home on the boy's flesh. Oliver let out a pained screech as it made contact. He collapsed on the metal behind him, his body convulsing from the electricity running through him._

_As he lay there slumped against the metal, his muscles twitching. His brothers and uncle sneered at him, his uncle holding the dog back as it snarled after it's prey. His father spat on him, his disgust for his son evident in his every motion... "You are not my son." HIs father growled as he lunged again with the cattle prod._

_Oliver watched as the cattle prod came his way and ducked narrowly as it slid over his head and into the metal of the old car behind him..._

_Blue woke to a jolt of around 5 million volts coursed through him pulling him slowly from the tormentuos obllivion his mind had fallen in while in stasis. As his systems came online what he found was appalling. A young human mech lay naked in his protoform, filthy and leaking lifefluids, twitching as he whimpered in pain, being tormented by four older ones bearing a resemblance to the younger one._

_"D-d-dad Please!" The boy stuttered, red pouring from his lips as he weakly begged._

_"I told you to fucking shut up you hell spawned bastard. You are no longer any son of mine you queer." The man delivered a harsh kick to the younglings stomach, before setting more electricity through the battered boy's frame._

_Blue quivered in rage as he could take no more. The metal on top of his alt-mode began to fall as he began to shift. The mechs yelled and ran to a safer distance before turning to stared in horror at the Autobot. It was only when he aimed his riffle at them that they continued to run. Blue turned back to the youngling, who lay on the ground cowering with his hands over his head, his body shaking from what could only be shock if Blue's scans were correct. Returning to his Alt-mode he activated his holoform and walked over to the boy._

_"You need medical attention." Blue said as he slid his arms under the boy and carried him to his alt-mode. "Just try to hold on..."_

_"Wh-who are you?"_

_"My designation is Bluestreak. Yours?"_

_"O-Oliverr." The boy slurred._

_End flashback... _

_X_

x

x

Oliver's voice faltered as he couldn't hold back the tears running down his face. Arms wrapped around Oliver as both Blue and Mercy tried to comfort the boy. Mercy had been so appalled by Oliver's story that she didn't even notice when the bot reverted back to his alt-mode and activated his holoform. To think that someone he loved had done this to this child all because he didn't fit the mold... Because he wasn't his father's perfect copy, enraged the maternal bitch that Mercy was.

"I took him to the first hospital I could find. It wasn't easy seeing as my navigation was offline." Blue said quietly. "I lied to them and told them that he was my brother... And after I scanned my current alt-mode we hightailed it out of there before his family could find him again... Though I do have to admit that I did hack a person's financial records so that we could afford the accommodations and sustenance."

"So all this happened...?"

"Four months ago. I was in the hospital for several days before they let me go... We drove around for a while until we decided to come here."

"... I just gotta ask this... Who did you borrow from?"

"Someone named Bill Gates." Blue supplied. Mercy laughed weakly at this while Oliver's lips curled slightly upwards at the corner.


	7. Chapter 6 Luck

I promise you this chapter is pretty much angst free! Yays! I think...

I don't own Tranformers. Damn I wish I did though... Anywho on ta da chapta!

* * *

Chapter 6: Luck

X

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X

Same day 11:30 P.M.

Torri groaned as she entered the quiet house. It had been a long day at the ER and her legs ached. She noted the distinct lack of activity. Mercy's car was in the driveway, so she knew she was near by... But where was Annabelle? She made her way up the stairs an opened Anna's door. The girl was asleep at her desk, her head resting on her curled up elbows. Torri sighed as she tapped her niece on the shoulder.

"Anna... Come on Anna wake up."

"Mm.. Wha?" Anna blinked as she opened her eyes to look up at Torri who smiled. "Oh hey Torri..."

"I figured you would like to move over to your bed?"

"Thanks." the girl mumbled as she sat up straight and stretched her arms, her back popping from sitting in the chair. "Ow..."

"Have you seen Mercy?" Torri asked as she gazed over Annabelle's desk. Her yes Narrowed on the two slightly askew lids on a pair of boxes. One of the boxes was roughly nine inches long and four inches wide and about two deep... but what caught her eye was the item she could see under the crooked lid. "Annabelle."

Annabelle glanced at her aunt nervously. Torri only used her name when she was in trouble. "Yes?"

"Tell me. Where did you get this?" Torri asked as she pulled out the eight inch hunting knife.

"It was a gift from my father and uncle Ironhide."

"..." Torri mutely turned around and walked out of the room.

X

xXx

x

A Little bit earlier...

"Hold still damn it." Mercy growled as she kicked Blue's armor. She was currently standing on his shoulder as he was laying haphazardly down the best he could in the garage, while she was checking over the wires and cables the led to his helm. "I don't want to get electrocuted by you like poor Ollie."

Oliver had taken the chance to go rest after Mercy had talked Bluestreak into letting her try to find the loose wire that the twosome had been trying to locate earlier. So far luck had been Mercy's favor and she had pulled on anything wrong yet.

"It was an accident..."

"You know in all rights I should be going nuts by now." Mercy chuckled. "After all It's not everyday you meet an alien. I think I've found it... Ouch! Hold still or I swear I'll beat you with my torque wrench." she growled as she cut her arm on the metal of his helm.

"S-Sorry." the mech apologized. He hissed as she fiddled with the wire, while he tried to still his servo which was tapping in the concrete.

"... Hell."

"Is something the matter?"

"The wire's pretty much severed in two, I'm going to try to reattach them... Hopefully your systems can take care of the rest once I put them together..." She growled as she pulled her arm out and began digging in her tool belt. "I just need to get something out of my belt... Aha!" She found the item. "Duct Tape the universe's best universal bandage." she said before returning to her task on hand.

"I can only hope that it works." Blue grumbled as he felt her wrap the tape around the wire in question.

"There." she said as she pulled back to stand upright on his shoulder. She glanced at her arm where she nicked it with a sigh. It wasn't a deep cut so she shrugged and wrapped it with the duck tape. "I'll clean it when I get home." she muttered as she took and stepped on Blue's offered servo. She noted that the other one was still tapping against the concrete.

"What's with the morse code?" she asked with a sigh. "Because you're starting to annoy me with it."

"How did you know it was morse code?"

"I learned it once in summer camp with Torri. We didn't want the other kids to treat us anymore like freaks than what we were so we learned to do morse code so that we could talk with out creeping out the other kids."

Blue frowned. "Why would they call you freaks?"

"Really? You haven't noticed that me and Torri are identical twins? It was bad enough that we look and sound alike. We used to talk to each other up here all the time... not so much anymore." she tapped her head. "We also synced quite a bit back then too..."

"On our world twins such as you we considered Split Sparked. It meant that the twins in question were two halves of a whole. They were literally one being in two bodies. They were very rare. Very rare indeed..."

"You don't say so..." Mercy said as she smiled up at him as she got back to the original subject. "You still didn't explain to me the whole morse code thing."

"I don't know if you noticed but I kinda talk a lot. Well a little while after I met Oliver he told me that I would probably would stand out being a 'motormouth' as he put it. And so he taught me morse code to kind of try to keep me quiet." Blue shrugged.

Mercy raised a brow. "Huh... You don't really talk that much."

"Trust me I do."

"Whatever you say..." Mercy said before let out a hiss as a wave of anger hit her. Her gaze shot straight to the direction of her house. "I've got to go." she said as she jogged out of the garage.

x

XxX

x

Couldn't they just e-sign this shit instead of forcing me to go through and approve or deny this shit? Will was groaned inwardly from under yet another pile of paperwork, when his cell phone went off in the desk drawer. HE nervously glanced at the drawer before pulling it out and answering it. "Hello?"

"ARE YOU F*CKING INSANE?"

"Uh... Hello... Mercy?" Will said cautiously.

"This is Torri you ass!" She growled fiercely into the phone Will's eyes widened slightly, Torri wasn't the one to get angry about anything. "What the hell were you thinking sending her a f*cking knife?! I swear I'm going to kick your ass!"

"Aunt Torri please calm down! It was only a gift!"

"It's a weapon. And you know my rules about weapons Annabelle."

"Torri!" Mercy must have entered the fray on the other side of the phone. "Torri you need to calm down!"

"Do you know how unlucky it is to be given a knife?!" he heard Torri grumble over the phone to the others.

"Uh... Hello?" He spoke into the phone.

"Besides at that we decided no weapons!" Torri was not yelling at him at this point and must have pulled the phone away from her ear.

"Could you at least put me on speaker phone?" Will said into the phone.

"Like that rule really stood true. Aunt Mercy has several guns up in the attic plus my paintball guns are up there." Annabelle said clearly for him to hear before Torri growled "WHAT? Mercy!"

"Uh... Torri you've gotta calm down-"

"When I get my hands on you-" There was a clatter as the phone was dropped. Will slightly felt sorry for Mercy as the sounds of the two fighting could be heard.

The phone was picked up several seconds after the sounds of arguing retreated into the distance. "Hi dad." Annabelle's voice came over the phone.

"Hey there sweetheart. How've things been for you?" Will smiled.

"Besides the usual school and homework? Not bad. Though I've been trying to get them to agree to letting me have a car... Aunt Mercy's a go but... Torri's adamant about not letting me have my own car."

"Ah, you'll get one. Eventually Torri will break down."

"Well... I doubt it'll be anytime soon. I haven't seen her this mad since aunt Mercy took me tornado chasing that one spring break. But either way, tell Ironhide I love the knife. And Thanks for the necklace."

"It was your mother's wedding ring." Will said quietly. "Annabelle?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you still mad at me?"

"... I can't be you are my father..."

"You're making it sound like it's your obligation to love me." Will accused her slightly hurt by her words. Several minutes passed without reply and so to make sure she hadn't hung up, Will called her name again.

A sigh passed over the earpiece as she finally said, "Maybe it is." before hanging up on him.


	8. Chapter 7 Passing Time

Okay so I was working on this chapter and I figured that I'd try to start the DOTM arc but the story (and possibly the muses) decided to go very AU... Yeah shit might go down in Chicago but... well hell I'm not going to give up the whole plot here! You'll have to wait...

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

* * *

Chapter 7: Passing Time

xXx

X

x

Two weeks later...

_Gunfire and orders being yelled through the haze as she dodged another round of gunfire. Her friend and teammate lay on the sand less than a hundred yards from her. She took a deep breath making a short prayer, she dug her feet into the sand and bolted her way towards the fallen soldier. roughly halfway there she foot hit the sand with a loud __**clink **__and she froze and all the blood drained from her face. She glanced down to see the blinking light on the land mine..._

_I'm so sorry Mercy..._

_x_

"Shit." Mercy cursed as she woke to find herself on the floor. Her sheets were tangled around her legs as she pushed herself up off of the floor. She groaned as she got to her feet, shaking her head as she tried to forget the dream. Echoes of it were still lingering there in the back of her head. _Great just what I need the night before a road trip... _Mercy sighed as she made her way out of her room and across the hall to her sisters to find Torri tossing and turning on her bed, still clearly caught by the nightmares of battles long past. Mercy sat on the bed and began to whisper to her twin.

x

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x

_Later that same day..._

"Ha take that bitch!" Annabelle cheered as she stood up and danced.

"Oh come on that was so not fair!" Oliver cried as his avatar was finally cut down by Torri's sniper.

"Cheaters the both of you!" Blue grumbled.

"Eat it and weep boys we so pwn'd your asses!" Tory cheered over the mic. She was also dancing until her pager went off. "Nooo!" she groaned as she noted the number. "Stupid interns and their complete lack of knowledge of the human body... I swear they're all murderers..." she growled as stood up. "Alright I'm out guys. My incompetent noob's can't handle one day without me at that damned hospital."

"And today was your day off too." Annabelle sighed. "Hey you two I'll be over in a little bit." she said as she switched the game off.

"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, and remember Mercy won't be back till tomorrow, so go ahead and order a pizza if you want." she winced as she stepped down wrong on the steps.

"Aunt Torri?" Annabelle had noticed this and raised a brow in concern.

"I'm fine. I'm just a little sore, no need to worry. Now don't spend the entire day inside."

Annabelle stretched her back until she heard it pop and stretched a bit before grinning and heading upstairs. She knew just what she was going to do today...

x

X

x

Annabelle found the first of her targets in the garage waxing the paint job on the silver Datsun, music pumping loudly from the speaker systems. She smirked wickedly as she lined up her aim and opened fire.

Blue yelped as something went splat and a sting radiated through his holoforms back. He turned around to find no plausible cause for the pain so he pulled his shirt over his head revealing a well toned body that caught Anna off guard for a minute as he frowned at the paint.

"What the slag..? Ow!" he yelled as another paint pellet hit him in the chest. He glared out of the garage as he scanned the area looking for his attacker. HE found her in the bushes snickering under her breath. Another shot of paint colored his chest painfully and he bolted for her.

Anna cursed as he ran her way and fled the hedge were she was hiding, running at top speed as she laughed at him as she led him into the back yard. She turned and shot him again in the chest as he finally tackled her and pinned her to the ground.

"Got ya!" Blue cheered as he succeeded in this. "Why the pit were you shooting me for? You do realize that hurts?"

"Well that's payback for the grenade." Annabelle chuckled at him.

Blue sputtered as he tried to process her reasoning. She chuckled again and smiled up at him, catching his blue eyes with her own. Blue stared for a minute before he realized their position and his face flushed and he stammered an apology and sat back on his heels turning away from her.

Annabelle blinked for a minute before she crawled back to her feet and pulled out a bb gun from the pocket of her cargo pants. She held it out to Blue with a grin. "Let's go get Oliver shall we?"

X

x

X

"Hey Lennox."

"Sam what a pleasant surprise. I haven;t seen you in a while where've you been hiding?"

"... Will you saw me just the other day. I was the one buried under Mearing's purses." Sam grumbled as he took a seat across from Will. "I swear when I took his job I didn't expect to be a purse rack."

"It could be worse right? The government could have just shut you out after you graduated with your Masters."

"Yeah I suppose." Sam said with a shrug. "I do however have a request for you..."

Will sighed as he looked up at Sam. _You know for once I wish someone would just visit me to just spend some time in my wonderful company._ "What is it Sam?"

"I don't know if you remember how you forbade us to tell _anyone _about our worst kept secret? But I have a little problem... You see my cousin decided to pop in on me after the better part of two years missing. And she insists on staying with me... But I'm afraid that she's eventually going to find out considering that Brains and Wheelie are my roommates, Not to mention Bee when he isn't on missions."

"Sam-"

"Colonel Lennox! You're wanted in the Boardroom ASAP." a private poked his head in the room before ducking back out.

_Shit what could it be now? _Will grit his teeth. "Sam I've gotta go. Bring WheelIe and Brains in with you the next chanced you get."

Sam's phone began to ring someone yelling: 'Where hell is my coat rack?' earning him an odd glance and a chuckle from Will as he took off at a jog.


	9. Chapter 8: As More Time Passes

Okay a new chapter, Yays... not much to say on my end...

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

* * *

Chapter 8: More Time Passes...

X

x

X

A week or so later...

"God damn it." Torri growled as she hurtled her pager into the wall of the bathroom. It clattered loudly on the tile. She growled as she glared at it. _Useless! _she growled inwardly as she kicked the wall with her good leg. Things were not going well. She had already lost two patients and was being denied on helping her third because of a lack of insurance. She hated this feeling of uselessness of being hindered by the policies... Hell when she was in the rangers she _had _made a difference. She _was _able to help the people that needed her help. Here it was all red tape and worshipping the almighty dollar.

Her phone chose this minute to ring. Fighting an overwhelmingly strong urge to throw the device as well she opened it and growled, "What?"

"Well hello to you too." Will's voice said cheerfully on the other end.

"Hello Will." Torri sighed her temper residing a little as she rubbed her temples. "What brings this unexpected surprise?"

"I figured I'd call and see how all of you are doing. It sounded pretty nuts over there the last time you called me."

"Hmph... don't give me that bull. You never call us."

"Okay so you got me. It turns out that I'll be over your way in about a week and I thought it would be nice to stop in and see Annabelle."

"..."

"Well?"

"Sorry I was checking that the sun was still shining."

"Oh come on, that can't be that big a shock for you."

"No I suppose not." Torri said as a knock came on the bathroom door. "Occupied!"

"Doctor Hawkins? Mr. Denning's family is waiting for you."

"Oh go fucking tell them yourself!" She growled.

"Bad day?" Will asked over the phone.

"You have no idea."

X

x

X

"Hey Aunt Mercy..."

Mercy looked up from the carbulator that she was building from scratch. "Yes?"

"Could I borrow the Charger?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Is this because I help Aunt Torri sabotage the wiring?"

x

_Mercy nervously examined her car. The last time she had pissed Torri off this badly she had taken and keyed the hell out of the Charger's ebony paint. Mercy sighed as she found no marks, not flat tires, and even the interior looked good..._

_So when she started the car and turned on the radio she wasn't expecting the horn to start blaring. "Torri!"_

_x_

Mercy growled at the memory. Annabelle took this as a negative and sighed as she grabbed her purse. "Fine... I'll go see if Blue or Oliver could take me."

"Be careful. And no going into the city."

"Yeah yeah." Anna said as she shut the door behind her. It was raining out, which gained a groan from her before she dived out into it, sprinting around the hedge and towards her neighbor's porch.

The door opened before she even knocked on it, to reveal Blue standing there with a smile. "Hey Anna, what's up?"

"I swear to god you are psychic."

"Nah, I was on my way to the garage." He said as he stepped out on to the porch. "I got to pick Oliver up from work."

"Work? Can I tag along? I wanted to go to the mall, but Mercy won't let me touch her car."

"Uh... Sure." Blue said as he led her to the garage. He groaned inwardly as the holoform got wet. He wasn't even going to activate the holofrom until he started to leave the garage, which would have kept him dry... but when he sensed Annabelle coming he activated the holoform in the house.

"I'm sorry about being wet." she said as she wrung out her hair on the floor of the garage.

"It's alright." Blue said as he slid into his altmode. Anna clambered in and they sped off. After a few minutes of driving blue finally asked, "So why wouldn't she let you borrow the car?"

"I might have helped Torri rewire the systems as a get my arse out of being punished prank. I didn't think it would make Mercy so mad."

"I can see why it would, her passion is fixing cars and that one appears to be her favorite."

"It was my grandfather's."

"Ah." Blue said as a silence fell between the two of them. Finally Blue asked, "What was he like?"

"I don't remember. He died when I was two."

"I'm sorry."

"No it's okay, I mean its not like I knew him... Though from what Mercy and Torri told me he was kind and stern. He was a mechanninc like Mercy, In fact it's were she inheirited his shop."

The two of them talked until Blue pulled into the mall and they made a mad dash through the rain to get in. "Primus that is _cold_." Blue groaned. Annabelle gave him a curious look as she shook her head. "What?" Blue frowned at her smile.

"You sound just like my uncle sometimes that's all." She said as they made their way to Target.

"I didn't know you had an uncle."

"Well he's not my uncle per se, He's a friend of my father's that works with him. He was always with my father."

"Right..."

"I haven't seen him since I was six."

"Why that long?"

"He stopped coming around when my dad devoted himself fully to his job."

"That sounds awful."

"It is what it is." Annabelle shrugged.

"So you don't talk to your father then?"

"Not really. He's involved in some weird black ops stuff, do we can't really talk that often..." Annabelle said uncomfortably. She spotted the shop she was looking for. "Hey when you two get done come meet me in here." She pointed to the chocolate store.

Blue was distracted from Anna's story that he didn't notice when Oliver came up and stood in front of him.

"Hello..." Oliver waved his hand in his face. "Earth to Blue..." Oliver said as he tried to get the autobot's attention. It wasn't until Oliver pinched the holoform that Blue snapped out of his thoughts.

"OW!"

"It's about time you came back to the real world. You didn't get stuck in a memory loop or something did you?"

Blue scowled at his charge. "No. And you do realize that you didn't have to pinch me. That fragging hurt."

"I was standing here for the better part of five minutes trying to get your attention. What were you thinking on that had you so distracted?"

"Hey Oliver." Annabelle smile as she came over to stand by them. "How was work?"

Oliver raised a brow.


	10. Chapter 9: Evening

Chapter 9! Yay! I've been mulling over my notes for the last day and a half now and I still wanta beat my head against a wall as I cam across a hiccup in them... First off thing have gone off very AU. v.v I'm going back to edit the Author Notes wherever the heck I put that bloody note about this following DOTM arch... Anywhoo You'll kinda see what I mean... Argh... my muses are screaming again... *grabs a paintball gun* I'm off to shoot something... Enjoy n.n

Many thanks to Everyone that has reviewed, faved or is watching this. Especially Answerthecall.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

9/25 AN: I minorly edited this chapter for a slight inconsistency that I noticed so there it's fixed :D

* * *

xxx

* * *

Chapter 9: Evening

X

x

X

Roughly a week later Wednesday night...

Ironhide was grumbling irritably as he and the others sat in the cornfield waiting. Satellite data had detected something inbound. And from what the data and what the Autobots had come up with was a damaged ship... _There will still be some cover up paperwork, considering there was a flaming spaceship in the crux of things. _Will thought as he glanced up at the approaching fireball in the sky.

"Incoming!" One of his men yelled as they took cover as the large burning chunks of scrap metal came thundering down on their heads. Their originating source crashed with a boom of that to rival a nuclear bomb going off, dirt flying everywhere.

An eeire stilled silence fell as the dirt settled around the craft.

"It can not be..." Optimus vented as he stared at the ship in disbelief. A ship, an Autobot ship long thought lost was on a crash collision with earth, here in this locust infested cornfield.

"It's the Ark!" Sideswipe cheered racing forward towards one of the gaping holes in the side of the ship.

"Sideswipe hold up!" Ratchet yelled as he ran after the bot.

Will was lost in thought as he gazed at the flames that licked the devastated corn flattened by the ship when the autobots exited the ship carrying not one but two mechs, one was almost the same size if not taller than Optimus, he was red and silver. The other was yellow and was being carried by Sideswipe -which impressed Will considering the mech was the same size and shape as Sideswipe himself.

"Only two survivors." Ironhide said quietly as he came to stand by Will. "Are you ready to go?"

"Are you sure they don't need your help Ironhide?"

"If I have to be bored and stuck in my altmode I would rather watch you get tortured by your sister-in-laws than get stuck cleaning up this mess. Besides, Prime _ordered _me to take you to see Annabelle." Ironhide said as he shifted into the topkick and opened the door.

x

xXx

x

Blue sighed as he stared up at the night sky, trying to pinpoint his home in those infinitesimal lights that dotted it's canvas. He had tried to recharge with little success once again as his memory processors deemed it worth to haunt him with memories of the war. His waking consciousness was constantly reminded of Oliver's taunts from earlier that day...

x

_Flashback..._

_They had just pulled into the garage and Annabelle had said her thanks, leaving them with a chocolate strawberry apiece as thanks. Blue dismissed the holoform as soon as she was gone with a sigh as he sank on his wheels in exhaustion. _

_"Are you okay Blue?"_

_"Just a little worn out. My energon levels aren't the best in the world. And the fuels that this planet supplies only converts so much." Blue vented. _

_"Right..." Oliver said as he nibbled on his strawberry. "So... tell me something Blue..."_

_"What?"_

_"Do you like Annabelle?"_

_"WHAT?"_

_Oliver chuckled at his sputtering reaction as the Datsun rocked on its wheels in shock at Oliver's blunt question. "You do don't you? You really like her." the human pressed._

_"I don't know what you are talking about."_

_"Yes you do." Oliver snickered._

_"Oliver drop it. I don't want to talk about this anymore. In fact I need to recharge. Goodnight Oliver."_

_End flashback..._

_x_

Blue vented a sigh again as he shook his helm. There was no way that he could have feelings for the girl. It was irrational and impossible.

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

Blue turned his helm to find Mercy standing in her yard, a cupcake and a bottle of water in her hands. "The same could be said for you. What are you doing up so late Mercy?"

"I asked you first."

Blue vented in exasperation as he shook his helm. "I've a lot my processor that is all no need to fret over me."

"Very well then." Mercy shrugged. "Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"Anything."

"..." Blue blinked at her unable to even think of what to tell the little femme as she came over to sit on the brick wall that separated the back yards.

"How is that comm link of yours doing? Is it operational?"

"It is questionable... my long range sensors are still not working at their best, and without another of my kind around I can't really test my comm link.."

"I see." Mercy said quietly. "So have you tried contacting any of your friends?"

"No..."

"Why not? Surely they'd be happy to hear from you if not see you once again. After all it's been ages since you last talked to any 'em."

"I'm not sure if I want to..."

"Is it because of Oliver?"

"No..." The sad tone in his voice made her look up at him with concern on her face. "Not completely."

"Then why?"

"Do you remember what I told you about the war on my home world?" She nodded mutely as he looked down at her. "I was under the command of one of the greatest mechs out there... But he went turncoat on us, betraying our cause and pretty much handing me and my comrades to the enemy. My trust in my people was destroyed by him... Pit, he killed quite a few of us before I was shoved into that damned escape pod and put in stasis."

x

_Flashback..._

_"Slag!" Blue heard Sunstreaker curse as Sentinel sealed himself into the crash vault. Both of the mechs were leaking energon heavily as they glared at the damage that Sentinel had wrecked on Teletraan 1. Their comm links damaged or being jammed, they were unable to comm for help as gunfire hailed down upon the vessel.. and Sunstreaker was not able to reach his twin through their bond..._

_"We've got to get to the escape pods." Sunstreaker said as he helped Blue to his pedes. "There is no way I'm offlining here."_

_"But what about the pillars?" the ship shuddered and bucked from the near constant fire. _

_"No time!"_

_End flashback..._

x

"I'm sorry..." Mercy said quietly.

"The only thing I have to comfort me is that that fragger got the slag beat out of him... and with any luck he's resting in the Pit."

"Blue... You shouldn't let one person destroy your faith in your people. Sure what he did was unforgivable, but you've got to trust in your comrades. After all God only knows how that war of yours did or will turn out in the end."

"You're right... but..."

"Blue. Just consider what I said. After all a wise man once said: Time heals all. Got it?"

"I suppose..." Blue said as she yawned.

"I'ma go hit the hay. Goodnight Blue." she said swinging her legs back over the wall and hopping down.


	11. Chapter 10: Irritation

Okay this chapter was a pain to write. It wanted to run into three different directions and I had a hell ova time wangling it into a coherent chapter. (It's probably a sign that I need sleep...) Ah well. Here is the next chapter... Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. Thank you and goodnight.

* * *

Chapter 10: Irritation

x

X

x

"What is _that?"_ Charlotte Mearing raised a brow at the glowing blue relic that Optimus had just released from his spark chamber. She glanced at her glorified coat rack with a inquiring glance.

"That Is the Matrix of Leadership." Sam supplied as they and the other humans watched as Optimus guided the floating Matrix towards the stasis locked Sentinel Prime. There was a jolt of energy from the matrix and before anyone could blink Sentinel was growling and attacking Optimus. With a little persuasion the younger Prime was able to calm the Older one who smiled grimly as Optimus began to explain things to him...

X

"They were able to revive Sentinel Prime." Ironhide said as he relayed the comm link message he had just received.

"Glad to hear it pal." Will said as they pulled off the exit to head into Roseland. "I guess you were right about them being able to handle it... So what is Sentinel like?"

"He was an inventor and a great leader. In fact we almost won the war before he was lost to the stars..."

"It must have been a hard blow to lose him." Will shook his head.

"It was a dark day for us. But even now, I'm not sure if our planet could have been saved with whatever that contraption of his was." Ironhide said quietly. "Intel said it was a spacebridge... They recovered five of the pillars."_ I'm not sure how in the name of Primus that __**that**__ would won us the war. _Ironhide thought before returning his concentration to the road before him.

"Spacebridge?" Will blinked. "Is that what I think it is?"

X

x

X

Blue leaned against his Altmode waiting for Oliver and Annabelle. He grinned as the twosome made their way out of the school... Until his hearing caught their discussion.

"I can't believe you would do this to me!"

"Honestly Anna It wasn't _just _me. Some of the girls from your volleyball team came up with the idea first." Oliver tried to defend himself from her tongue lashing. "I didn't think you'd be so pissed at me for it!"

"Well maybe I wouldn't be so mad at you if would have _told_ me! Hell Homecoming is _tomorrow!"_"

"You wouldn't have done it if you _had _known in the first place." Oliver said as the reached Blue. Annaballe glared at Oliver before searching the curb for her aunt.

"Mercy asked if I could pick you up." Blue said as she returned her glare to Oliver with a slight growl.

"Perfect."

"Look I did it as a joke."

"Yeah, one that can cost me my life." Annabelle hissed.

"Oh come on now, since when does this count as a blood bath?" Oliver rubbed his temples.

"Bloodbath? What the slag did you do Oliver? Why are you two arguing?"

"He put me up against Alice Gyer." Annabelle groaned as she opened the door to the Datsun sharply (at which Blue flinched.)

"Meaning?"

"I signed her up for a chance to be homecoming queen."

Blue looked this up with a frown as he climbed into his driver's seat. "Okay... I have to agree with Oliver... What does this competition have to do with endangering your life?"

"Alice Gyer is the meanest prep in the whole damned school... She was prom queen last year, she uncontested may I mention."

"Oh come on that is so not true."

"Okay well she did have two others up for her crown... But one of them broke her spine and the other ended up being busted for pot."

"... How did the first one break her spine?" Blue asked nervously.

"Softball to the fourth and fifth lumbar. Coincidentally hit by Alice..."

"Yikes."

Oliver swallowed hard before saying, "I'm sure it was an accident."

"You should have seen that witch's smile. The Joker has nothing on Alice."

"Look I'm sorry-"Oliver tried to apologize again.

"Nope not listening. Besides, I don't own a freaking dress. I am so mad at you right now."

Blue's eyes lit up as a an idea hit him. "Okay Anna, how about this. We'll take you dress shopping to make up for my idiot brother's goof up."

Annabelle mulled this over before holding her hands up. "Fine... But I'm still pretty pissed at Oliver." she said whipping out her phone and dialing Mercy's number.

X

x

X

Mercy's silent world erupted in a chirping harsh ringing from her cell phone. She opened her bloodshot eyes to glare at the offending phone half tempted to throw the thing into the wall. Picking it up and answering it she groaned out a weak: "Hello?" as she hissed from the light coming off her phone's screen.

"Hey Aunt Mercy, I just wanted to let you know that Oliver and I have some shopping to do for a project that's due tomorrow."

"Alright... be safe..." Mercy mumbled as she quickly shut the phone and collapsed back into her pillow. She lay there her brain pounding with every beat of her heart against her skull praying to be able to fall back into the sweet oblivion of sleep. _God how I hate migraines... _she thought as she tried to clear all thought from her throbbing head.

And then the doorbell rang.

Mercy groaned as she forced herself to sit up in the bed. Fighting the urge to regurgitate her minimally lunch she stood to her feet and slowly began to shuffle out of her room to the living room. Mercy winced with every step that caused her to jar her head.

Apparently whoever was on the other side of the door was getting impatient and had begun to ring to doorbell like an immature child. _Whoever that is they better be dying. _Mercy thought as she slowly opened the door.

x

x

"William do you think it just may be possible that no one is home?" Ironhide grumbled at the soldier's antics with the annoying doorbell.

"Na... Mercy's charger is in the garage. She's gotta be home." Will said with a grin as he heard the tumbler click in the lock and the door slowly opened to reveal a bedraggled and miserably not amused Mercy, who glared at him with half lidded bloodshot eyes peering out from under a curtain of red hair streaked with black. The aura coming off of her was very tangible as Will took a quick swallow in an attempt to keep up his cheery demeanor.

The door shut quickly in his face before he could even greet her. "Mercy!"

"Come back when my head doesn't hurt." she growled on the other side of the door.

Will sighed and began to knock irritatingly on the door. Mercy growled as each knock echoed sharply in her ears. She yanked the door open and glared at him as she snarled, "WHAT?"

"Well gee, I don't know I thought since we came all this way to hang out with you guys and Annabelle you'd be a little more hospitable. Like you know 'Hi Will It's been ages come in! come in!'"

"We?" Mercy blinked at him as she rubbed her aching eyes before glancing over at the tall dark featured man standing not far behind him. Tanned skin, garbed completely in black from his combat boots to his jeans and t-shirt, with short finely arranged black hair, a scar over his eye making him look even more dangerous. And shit Mercy stood at 5' 11" and he made her feel small. He had to at least be 6' 7''. Mercy caught his eyes and stared at his electric blues... They seemed familiar... but she couldn't remember why.

"Who's this? Your boyfriend?" she said snarkily.

Tall and Dark growled at her comment, but before he could comment Will sighed and said, "Mercy this is my teammate Ironhide. Ironhide this is my pain in the ass sister-in-law Mercy."

"Watch it Colonel or I'll make you go get me some damn chicken."

"Oh come on, I know you can come up with a better come back than that." Will said as she let them into the house.

"Make yourself at home I guess." Mercy grumbled as she grit her teeth. She was seeing halos as she rubbed her temples as she tried to alleviate the pressure in her head. "Torri won't be home for another hour or so, and Annabelle's out shopping with her friends. I'm going back to bed and so help me if you wake me I will shove a corkscrew into you trachea and watch you bleed out on to the floor." She growled before she slunk off to the basement. _Hopefully I'll get some sleep down here. _she thought as she closed the door behind her and made the descent to the room below.


	12. Chapter 11: Confidential

Yay a new chapter! Sorry that I took me couple days to work on this one I hit a minor writer's block I my mind and once I was finally able to work on this again I was suffering a pain-in-the-bum migraine. Anyways I decided that I needed to take a step away from Anna, Will, And Mercy and give Sam a chapter... partially because I ended fragging history (or is it the future... oh God The Doctor is going to kick my ass... Thank goodness I'm not writing in his fandom... XD) over with making the Arc crash back in chapter... 9 was it? Anywhooo here's the new chapter...

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Transformers. Thanks you and have a nice day.

* * *

Chapter 11: Confidential

X

X

X

x

Sam groaned as he tossed his keys on the coffee table and sunk into the sofa with a flop. Mearing had drug him all over hell and back, All while she belittled and insulted the Autobots. Especially Sentinel who looked ready to shoot her and the other humans near her... I.E. Him. And it made the ancient autobot even more p.o.'d when she had admitted that they had confiscated the Pillars.

Sam leaned back with a sigh and jumped about a foot as his weary eyes locked with inquisitive honey colored ones. "Geez Zeke don't do that to me!" he scolded his cousin who merely grinned and hopped over the couch to sit next to him.

"Do what? I was only going to ask you if you were hungry."

"Uh huh sure you were." He eyed her warily. Zeke may have been a innocently sweet and overly curious kid when she was little but the eighteen year old in front of him was more mischievous and devious. Maybe it was all that time she had been missing since she had runaway from military school. Chalking it up to that Sam shook his head and flipped on the T.V.

"So what'd you do today?"

"Classified."

"Right... So do you want to know what _I_ did today?"

"You mean besides dye my dog's fur pink?"

"It was an accident... why the hell did you have the dye hidden in your pet supplies anyways?"

"Need to know basis."

"You do realize I hate you right?" She said as she glared at him. "Anyways I made chicken marsala and pasta if you want any." She said with a yawn. "Oh and Sam," Zeke said sweetly as she picked up a laptop and tossed it hard into his lap. "I don't know how the hell this thing keeps ending up in my lingerie bag but you're asking for me to beat you over the head with the damn thing. Stop it or I swear that thing is going to meet a horrible end." She said as he stalked back off to the bedroom that she had claimed on the first day that she had shown up on Sam's doorstep several weeks ago...

x

x

x

_It was pouring cats and dogs out there, Wheelie bitching because Sam had accidentally locked him outside on the balcony with the dog again. Brains was watching Star Trek, ANd sam was trying to enjoy a cup of coffee while he went through the massive amount of paperwork that Charlotte had given him to work on... despite that it _was_ his day off. The doorbell rang interrupting him, and with a groan he set aside his coffee and made his way to the door._

_Opening it he was met by a drenched, but smiling curly haired brunette who stood there in the hallway to his loft apartment. He blinked at the girl for a minute taking in her features from her grey eyes to her nose, one he knew all too well since it was his nose on her face... _

_"Hey Sammy, Remember me?"_

_"Z-Zeke?"He stuttered as he finally recognized his cousin._

_"In the flesh. Now are you going to invite me in or are you going to let me die of hyperthermia?"_

_"Uh... Just a minute." He said slamming the door in her face. HE dived immediately for the documents he'd been going over and threw them into his briefcase. He opened his closet and shoved the case in before rushing back to the door._

_"Yo Sam what's up?" Wheelie asked making Sam stop dead in his tracks as he spun around his eyes narrowing on the two of them. _

_"You've gotta hide. My cousin's here and she _can't _know about you."_

_"Ah let her what's the worst that can happen?"_

_"Um I don't know I could lose my job, end up in jail for treason, be Mearings _permanent_ coat rack? Now hide dammit!"_

_"Geez and I thought Warrior Goddess was mean."_

_"Shut up!" Sam growled as he went back to the door to find Zeke standing there arms crossed, and eyebrow raised. "What?" _

_"Really? You slammed the door in my face. What were you afraid that I'd see your smut magazines or something?" she said as she stepped into the loft and pulled off her jacket. _

_"As if."_

_"So what no hug?"_

_"Uh... you're wet."_

_"Tch so picky." she said shook her head. "I'm not that wet."_

_Sam sighed and pulled out some bread and eggs and began to cook for the both of them while she helped herself to his coffee. the two sat in silence for several minutes the only sound in the room being that of the frying eggs. _

_Finally Sam broke the silence. "What are you doing here Zeke? Hell it's been two years since you ran away."_

_"I got tired of being alone. Gotta problem with that?"_

_"Have you at least called Aunt Sophie?"_

_"That woman doesn't care about me. If she did she wouldn't have sent me to military school."_

_"So why did you run away?"_

_"I was tired of the strict routine. It was beginning to crush my soul, my _soul_ Sam. I hated that place almost as bad as I hated having to go back home to _her._ I was done with that hell hole and done with her so I left."_

_"You could have went and stayed at my parents."_

_She looked away and stared out the window at the rain that was letting up. "I didn't want to burden them." _

_"You realize that until you emailed me last christmas we thought you were dead."_

_She flinched at this. "I didn't intend to make you worry."_

_"Where were you all that time?"_

_"Well... I got a temporary job at a garage for a few months, just long enough to get my license and then I spent some time at a hippie colony... and then I went sightseeing."_

_"You. In a hippie colony?" Sam snickered._

_"You gotta problem with that?"_

_"I just find it hard to envision you in a hippie colony after the whole military school thing."_

_"Do remember I said that I _hated_ military school." _

_"So anyways... _Why_ are you here Zeke?"_

_"I needed a place to crash. After all I'm here to see the sights. And I had hoped of maybe settling down for a little bit. You were the one that told me 'If you ever need a place to crash...'" _

Yeah and I wasn't _literally _meaning that. _Sam bit back the retort that popped into his wicked mind. "Uh... right. But you do realize that I do work for the government."_

_"Oh I know. You told me that when dad died. Though Sam, I figured that after working for the government for the better part of six years you's at least have something better than this when it came to accommodations."_

_"Well forgive me for liking the charm of this place."_

_"Okay... I will if I get to sleep in an actual bed."_

_"What?"_

_x_

_x_

_x_

"NO."

Sam blinked from his memories as he heard Zeke yell from the bedroom.

"I don't care what you say you asshole I told you not to call me."

"Hey Zeke are you alright up there?"

"Shit I gotta go. Look Just don't bother." THere was an audible clack as she shut her cellphone.

"Zeke?"

"I'm fine. Just an ex-boyfriend trying to get me to go out with him again. As if I would do something that stupid." her voice called from the bedroom. Sam shrugged as he went back to watching the t.v.

x

x

Zeke breathed a sigh of relief as the volume of the t.v. was turned up. She wiped the tears from her cheeks as she glared at the watch on her wrist in fury...


	13. Chapter 12: Paint

A new chapter for ya'll I hope you like it. and many thanks to those that have so far faved and are following this story. And especially to Answerthecall, who's pretty much my only reviewer. I love ya all.

I split this chapter in hopefully I'll get to post a new chapter later on today.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. Now on to the story.

* * *

Chapter 12: Paint

X

x

X

"Aren't you going a little fast?"

"Nah. I'm fine."

"Blue I can see from here that the speedometer reads 90."

"Oh stop your backseat driving."

"I will if you would drive at a humane speed."

"Humanity is overrated Oliver."

"Enough you guys. Oliver's right Blue, stop being such a lead foot." Annabelle grinned as they both grumbled. She stared out the window as the blurs slowly began to come into focus. "Have you guys ever wondered what those weird black towers are for?" Annabelle asked as the passed a set of them.

"Wifi?" Oliver supplied.

"On the freeway? I doubt that." Annabelle commented.

x

X

x

"Sir! Energon signature located on the outskirts of Chicago."

"Isn't Ironhide out that way? Did you get a visual?"

"Nugatory. Didn't catch it soon enough. But it's signature was not Ironhides."

x

X

x

"Maybe it's a radiation detector."

"Blue you're speeding again."

"Yeah I know. Hey how about we order a 'za and watch a movie when we get back home? I think that'll be fun. What do you say?"

"Sure if it will get you to slow down!" Oliver growled.

"Shit." Anna cursed as they passed a hidden driveway, from which a cop sped out hot on their tail.

Blue groaned at the blue and red lights that lit up his rearview mirror. He slowed down and pulled over.

"I told you to slow down." Oliver said as he hit Blue on the back of the head.

Annabelle watched as a familiar face stepped out of the patrol car and walked towards them, an irritated frown on his face. He stapped up to the car all business like. "License and registration."

Blue passed over his papers. He gritted his holoforms teeth as he began to recheck his processors to make sure his 'legal' paper trail was legit enough to fool the officer.

"HI George!" Anna leaned over Blue to wave up at him.

"Well if it isn't Ms. Lennox. I do hope your aunt knows you're running around with these hooligans."

"Yeah. Had to go pick up stuff for a school project."

"I see. Now I don't have to tell you that you were speeding."

"I wasn't intending to speed . I guess I was a little too engrossed in the discussion we were having about some weird wifi antennas and I really should have been paying more attention to what I was doing. And normally I would have been but I guess-"

Oliver cut him off with a light swat on the back of his head. "Blue you're rambling."

The older man smiled and handed back Blues license. "Ease up kid I'm not going to arrest you."

"Oh that's good... I think..."

"Look, Just don't let me catch you speeding again."

"Uh... Yeah sure thing." Blue nodded his head.

"You take care of Ms. Annie. I'd hate to see anything bad happen to her or you for that matter if you did something stupid."

"Y-yes sir."

"Oh stop teasing him George or I'll tell Mercy on you. I know the last thing you want is her not to look at the Ghost."

"Ah now you know not to threaten the police don't you kid? Tell the Mercenary I said hi."

"Can do. Thanks George!." Anna said as Blue started his engine. He peeled out of there the officer shaking his head in their haste. but he didn't chase after them.

x

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Torrine smiled as she recognized the Topkick parked outside her house when she pulled into her part of the garage. She groaned as she made her way into the house. She tossed her lab coat with a sigh only to turn to find Will standing right behind her.

"Would it kill you to make some noise?" She punched him lightly in the arm.

"Aw what would be the fun in that?" Will smirked.

"So were you wanting to surprise Anna?" Torri asked as she got herself a glass of water. "I could move Mercy's car and Let you park that behemoth of yours in the garage."

Torri heard the man on the couch growl at her comment. But before she could retort Will interjected and pulled her back outside. "Let's do that. I can't wait to surprise Annabelle."

X

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Mercy woke to the sound of the Charger. She growled slightly as she lifted her head from her pillow. _Who's in my car and do they want to die_ today? Reassurance leaked through from her sister's side that the charger was safe. Mercy growled but soon heard the car's engine cut off. Sighing she resigned to returning back to her nap.

X

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"So why did he call your aunt a mercenary?" Blue asked as he pulled on their street.

"She occasionally gets hired to work on the precincts cars. Besides their on staff mechanic won't even touch the Ghost."

"Ghost?"

"George's car is freaking haunted. It's a well known fact, every mechanic that's tried to fix that damn car's been chased off except Mercy. Plus old Georgie has tried to have partners only for the damned thing's presence to chase them all away. I think the only reason George still has that spook mobile is because he's too attached to the thing... Either that or he'd miss the spirit that's been haunting him."

"Nice." Oliver said as they pulled into their garage.

"I don't think I could deal with that. Ghosts are creepy." Blue shuddered. They got out of the car and Oliver yawned and glanced at his watch. "I've got an essay to write."

"Well have fun." Annabelle said as she cracked her back. She began to gather her things into an orderly stack. "Hey do you think I can keep this stuff here? I don't want Mercy or Torri to find out about it."

Blue shrugged. "I don't see why not but don't you think that they are going to wonder where you are going tomorrow night?"

"... I'll lie and say that we're going to a movie."

"Like Mercy will like that."

"What? She _seems_ to be fine with me hanging with the two of you." Anna bell leaned against a counter.

"And how are you going to hide your picture in the newspaper? Or deal with the fact that you're going to be forced into the parade?"

"You mean how am I going to be in the parade if I'm in jail for killing your brother." Anna blushed as she shot a glare at the door of the garage.

"Eh his heart was in the right place even if his brain wasn't."

Anna turned her gaze back to Blue and stared at him. Blue stared at her as she studied his face before a smile graced her features.

"What?" he blinked.

"You've got something on your face." She said with a smirk.

"What?" He wiped his face with his hand. "Did I get it?"

"Nope." she said before he was hit in the forehead with a paintball.

"Frag that hurt!" He howled as she snickered and ran out of the garage carrying Oliver's paintball gun.

"You can run but you can't hide!" Blue yelled as he grabbed his own and ran after her.

"Oh really?" She yelled as she peppered his chest with bright red paint. "From my reckoning you're already dead." She shrieked as he hit her in the arms and knees.

"Hold still damn it!"

"Never!" she laughed as she released several more rounds at him hitting him again in the face. She ran around the hedge and ran for the sanctuary of her own garage. Luckily the door was unlocked and she darted in. Blue stopped short of the door as he glared at her, despite the grin plastered on his face.

"Now that is cheating!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not. I would say that I won this round wouldn't you?"

"No! Now open the door and get your aft back out here and play fair."

"All's fair in war my dear Blue. Now admit that I pwn'd your ass and I'll come on out."

"No! You cheated!"

"How so?" she grinned.

"Anna! Open this door no- ARGH!" Blue screeched as a bucket of cerulean paint was tipped over him, courtesy of Oliver who was now laughing his ass off. "OLIVER!"

X

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The beast below began to stir at the sounds of the yelling...

x

X

"Haha! good one Ollie!" Annabelle said as she stepped out of the garage.

"Well ya did take my gun. What was Ah supposed to use?" he said as he wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes.

Blue glared at the both of them as the front door opened up. Torri followed by a pair of men followed her out. "What on earth is going on out here?"

"Ms. Hawkins-"

"Ha!" Oliver snatched the paintball gun out of Blue's hand as he was caught off guard. He quickly release a round into Blue's ear.

"That fragging hurt!" Blue growled as he chased after Oliver who quickly ran for the hedge. "Get back here!"

"NO!"

Annabelle stared at the men that stood in the door with torn emotions as her father shook an amused head.

"Ow! Oliver give me that fragging gun!"

"Dad? What are you doing here?" Annabelle asked as she drew his attention to her.

Will smiled at her. "Hey sweetheart." Will walked down the steps and gave her a hug.

"Got you!" Blue yelled as he tacked Oliver.

"Get off!"

"Give me the gun!"

"Let go!"

**SPLAT.**


	14. Chapter 13: Splat

And here is the chapter I promised earlier today.

I don't own Transformers.

Thank you for reading your patronage is appreciated... But some of ya'll **could **let me know how I'm doing... *_breathes_* Oh alright I'm shutting up...

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Chapter 13: Splat

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**SPLAT.**

The sound alone left Oliver and Blue looking in horror at the neon pink paint that marred the ebony paint of the Charger.

"Now you've done it." Torri grumbled as she sighed. She could feel Mercy coming up behind her. "I don't think I can watch this." She sighed and retreated for the house. She passed Mercy who glared at her when she mutely pointed out the door. Mercy growled and continued onward.

"What the hell is going on out here?!" Mercy asked from the door frame, her eyes still bloodshot as she glared at Ironhide's back before pushing him out of her way..

Blue snapped his head in the direction of her voice. "Oh slag..." He breathed before noting the paintball gun in _his _hands and a sudden severe lack of Oliver's weight, who was running for the hedge as he shouted "Every man for himself!"

"You traitors!" Blue cried as Oliver disappeared and Annabelle ran for the garage, saying something about needing a bath.

"WHAT. THE. HELL?"

Blue watched as Mercy glared from her car to the gun in his hand. Blue stared in fear at her red eyes, His mind instantly caught in a memory loop as the nightmares of his past began to run through his processors.

"Blue..." Mercy growled as she planted her red converses into the ground next to him. He snapped out of his memory loop when she reached down and grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"Mercy wait I can explain-"

"I'm sure you can." She growled as she began to haul him towards his house.

"Anna help! Anyone please! For the love of Primus she going to offline me for sure!"

"Damn straight I am- Hey!" Mercy glared at Ironhide who was pulled the boy out of her grasp. She whirled as the large man held Blue up off of the ground as he glared at him.

Ironhide had been watching the boys argue and fight over the paintball gun snickering inwardly as the red haired one shot the other one. But what caught his attention was the curses that the older one had used. Ironhide could have sworn his audio sensors were malfunctioning right on up to the point that the raven haired boy had said Primus.

"Hey let him go!"

Blue pulled at the man's hands as he stared into eyes the same shade of blue as his own. He was half tempted to dismiss the holoform but knew he couldn't in front of the others. Not without a lot of explaining and upheaving the roots that he and Oliver had put down.

"Who are you?" Those words spoken in that tone and in that voice sent shivers through Blue as he stared at the person in front of him. He hadn't heard that voice in orns...

"Ironhide let the kid down." Will had come up behind him.

"Ironhide?" Blue squeaked. He glanced down at the man- no the _holoform_ in whose hand he was firmly grasped in. His eyes dimmed as he opened his short range scanners. "Sweet Primus it _is _you." He breathed as his scanners alerted him to the Autobot's signature.

Ironhide set Blue back on to his holoform's feet as he stared at Bluestreak with a raised eyebrow. "It's been a while chatterbox."

"Wait. You know him?" Mercy asked dubiously.

"Mercy..." Blue started but stopped when Ironhide and Will met gazes before glaring at Mercy.

"You're not telling me-"

"Oh you've got to be f*cking kidding me." Will groaned.

"What?" Mercy said venomously at their groans.

"Perhaps we should take this inside." Ironhide said gruffly as his eyes scanned the neighborhood.

"Indeed lets." Mercy grinned at Blue as she pointed to his house.

Ironhide pulled Will aside as the other two headed on. "Will, I'll update you later. For now go spend sometime with Annabelle."

"Are you sure?"

"William I'm fairly sure your sister in-law already knows too much for a civilian. Besides what's the worst she can do?"

As if the universe decided to answer for him Blue's agonized screams came from the garage next door.

"Hell at this rate someone's gonna call the damned cops." Will grumbled.

X

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X

"You know for a human you've got a strong arm." Blue grumbled as he rubbed the hood of his altmode.

"You shouldn't have gotten paint on my car dipshit." Mercy tossed the wrench back on to the workbench.

"It wasn't just my fault."

"No, but of the three culprits involved I would say that it is rather noble of you to step up and take their side of the punishment."

Blue glared. "You gave me the whole thing."

"Torri informed me of who initially started the tussle over the paintball gun. Therefore I deigned you responsible for the paint." Mercy glared back at him.

"Bluestreak stop antagonizing the human." Ironhide said with a glare from the door to the garage.

"So I'm going to take a hazarded guess that you're just like Blue."

"That would be correct Femme."

"Great. Just what I needed." Mercy took a seat on a stool. "Tell me you at least can contact the rest of your kind unlike this broken idiot."

Ironhide looked over at Blue with an inquiring brow raised.

"My comm link is damaged. Mercy tried to repair my relays but they haven't been working properly. Neither have my long range detectors."

"Why didn't you comm us when you entered the planets atmosphere? When did you even get here?"

"1947. I crash landed in my escape pod."

"Hey Mercy I brought you some eye drops." Oliver poked his head into the garage. He nervously eyed Ironhide who studied the boy thoroughly. Mercy thanked him and he quickly withdrew from the garage.

"Must you glare so? You're spooking my charge." Blue glared at Ironhide.

"He has no reason to fear me." Ironhide shrugged before returning to the topic on hand. "You've been here nearly a vorn and your internal repair systems haven't repaired your comm link yet?"

"I was in stasis for sixty two of those years from the damage I'd suffered when the Ark was attacked."

"You were on the Ark?" Ironhide blinked at him.

"Yeah, I was right on up to the point Sentinel Prime handed the pillars over to the Nemesis with a bow and decided to slag us to the pit. All of us." Blue spit out venomously.

"Wait what?" Ironhide's holoform blinked at him.

"Clean out your audio receptors. I said Sentinel betrayed us, as in Turncoat, Benedict Arnold, Double Agent, Defector-"

"You're rambling Blue." Mercy sighed as she kicked the datsun. He shook his head as he muttered a short thanks before noting the grim look on Ironhide's face. The Holofom disappeared in a shower of sparks.

"Is it me or did he not look happy?" Mercy commented.

X

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**:Ironhide to Optimus I think we've got a problem...:**


	15. Chapter 14 Sentinel

This chapter really did not like me nor did it want to be written. In fact I am not particularly fond of it either... Maybe because I'm still working out the rust out of the action center of my brain IDK. Anyways here the new chapter. Enjoy it, Flame it. Fire away and let me know what you think. Heck offer Advice if you must!

FYI I don't equate Dino or Que with Wheeljack or Mirage... Especially Que. Wheeljack is not Wheeljack without his audiofins and his face mask and of course MORE EXPLOSIONS!

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

On one last note: _:Blah: _is Commlink.

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Chapter 14: Sentinel

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Something isn't adding up here... This mantra had been repeating In Ratchet's processor as he and Que worked on repairing Sunstreaker. The more he repaired the more he found wrong with the mech.

After fixing the injuries the Ratchet thought were damages sustained from the crash landing (despite being in stasis from the energeon deprivation), He'd discovered that the poor bot's com relays were all severed. And there were plenty of injuries that looked to have been there for eons. Many of the internal ones were scared over but they looked painful. Ratchet could only imagine how the frontliner was going to take to his armor being as badly damaged as it was.

_:Optimus to Ratchet.:_

_:I'm busy.:_

_:Status report on Sunstreaker.:_

Ratchet vented and stepped back from the patient as he sent the scan results to Optimus. _:He's a wreck. It's a miracle he's remained among the living this long. Optimus... I have a heavy suspicion that not all of these injuries were not caused by the crash landing nor by the missiles that struck the Ark.:_

_:Understood.:_

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Will chuckled as Annabelle told him about her last summer. God how I've missed so much.

"I swore I wasn't going to say anything but... I'm in the running for homecoming queen."

"Really?" Will asked as she blushed. "I thought you didn't like to be paraded around and fawned over."

"I don't... but I didn't have much of a choice. My teammates on the volleyball team 'volunteered' me."

"Ah... That looks like it hurts." Will shuddered at the tv.

"Nah, you wouldn't really feel a thing. They numb up the eye and keep you doped up to keep you from feeling the pain." Torri said as she munched on her popcorn. "I hated to do the one I did... I was scared shitless I'd make my patient go blind."

"... I would think that being a doctor would mean you'd hate these kind of shows." Will stated.

Torri gave him a dull glance before scoffing. "As if. Sometimes you pick up some useful stuff from these things."

"I swear dad between the two of them I am living with House."

"Mercy is too vicious to be House and I'm not a drug addict." Torri stated.

x

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x

_:Ironhide to Optimus:_

_:Go ahead Ironhide.:_

_:I think we have a problem. I found Bluestreak-:_

_:Bluestreak? Why haven't we found him before now?:_

_:His commlink is damaged. He told me that he served on the Ark in it's final days, and that Sentinel attacked his own crew and handed the pillars over to the Decepticons.:_

_:But that's-:_

_:I know what you're thinking.:_

_:Return to base, both of you. I'm going to try to reason with Sentinel.:_

_:Optimus if the chatterbox is right...: Ironhide vented his agitation._

_:We will figure this out. Optimus out.:_

X

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X

"Okay so where the hell is he?"

"He'd have to be close, he was using his holoform."

"Well he sure as hell ain't my charger so... He's gotta be in the garage." Mercy jogged for her garage and flung the door open to stare at the topkick. "You have got to be kidding me. He's the freaking behemoth?"

"I am not a behemoth femme."

"I'll be the judge of that." Mercy glared as Ironhide's holoform stepped out of the cabin.

"Bluestreak, Optimus wants you to report in with me."

"Um... Okay... When?"

"We're leaving right now."

"Wait. You're leaving right now? But you and Will just got here four hours ago." Mercy followed him into the house.

"I can't just leave Oliver... What if something happens to him?"

"Bluestreak. If what you say is true, Optimus is currently in sitting company with one of the biggest turncoats in the war."

"Sentinel is here? Since when and how in the pit did he survive?"

"He was locked in the crash vault. As to when, several days ago the Arc crashed in Wisconsin. Now If you two don't mind I've got to inform William of the situation."

"Frag." Blue cursed and hit the wall next to him.

"Don't be putting any holes in my wall." Mercy said as she turned to face him.

"Why the hell didn't we just detonate the auto destruct on that damned ship."

"Those things really exist? I always thought they were just a joke put in scifi crap."

"They were used for last resort only." An uncomfortable silence fell between them for several minutes before a errant thought came to Mercy.

"Blue... if you crashed here in 1947 then why did it take so long for the Arc to crash here?"

X

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Optimus looked over to Sentinel who was going through datapads covering the history of what had happened after the war so far. The older Mechs attention was only half on the datapad seeing as he would glance up every so often in almost a nervous unease.

All of the signs and data that Ironhide and Ratchet were correct and that Sentinel had gone con was almost too hard to believe for Optimus. He had fought bravely under Sentinel for far too long...

"Is something troubling you Sentinel?" Optimus asked when the mech looked up once again.

"How can you be so calm among the fleshlings Optimus? Here they think us only mere machines. We are not machines."

"While that may be true for some of them... Not all of the humans are bias."

Sentinel hmphed and went back to the datapad.

"Sentinel... I've got a question for you. Do you think you could tell me the roster of you crew that served on the Arc with you?"

"..." Sentinel vented as he slowly rose to his pedes. The mechs face undiscernible from Optimus' angle but as he turned to face the younger prime his face plates were grim. "You know the truth."

"Why would you do such a thing?"

"Our race was dying. We were once gods and we were dying like swine. A deal had to be made for the survival of our race." Sentinel said the tension in the air heavy between them. they stood staring at each other before Sentinel pulled out his cannon and shot at Optimus.

Optimus dodged as he tackled the older mech.

X

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Blows and gunfire rang through the compound, causing everyone to jump. The Autobots leapt to their pedes speeding off towards their origin... Which appeared to be coming from Prime's office.

Sideswipe watched the two primes as they burst from the wall into the hallway. Both had their blades out and trading blow for blow. He rushed forward as Sentinel pinned Optimus, knocking the older Prime off. Sentinel snarled as he threw Sideswipe off of him and fired a shot into the forntliner's side.

He went to to shoot again only to be tackled by Optimus again, his energon blade to Sentinel's neck cables. There was a sharp prick in his arm as Ratchet -who had gotten to the scene when Sideswipe had been thrown- withdrew a sedative needle from Sentinels arm cables. Sentinel tried to buck Optimus off but whatever the cursed medic had given him was too strong as it pulled him into stasis lock.

"You will not win because you have already lost Optimus." Sentinel growled as his consciousness slipped away from him.

The Autobots vented a collected sigh as the older Prime fell into stasis. Ratchet was already tending to Sideswipe as he worked to cut off the energon leaking from the his side. Que was tending to Optimus who wasn't nearly as bad off a few gashes here and there, surprising really considering that the two primes were evenly matched.

"So the slagger really did go 'Con." Sideswipe spat as he glared at Sentinel.

The sound of cannon fire thundered outside. An alarm went off as the humans began yelling. _:Optimus, there is a Decepticon warship firing on the surrounding area around the base. It appears to be the Nemesis.:_ Dino relayed over the commlink.


	16. Chapter 15: Taken

Okay... I will start off by saying sorry for the delay. My muses weren't agreeing with me for a couple days and the I was stuck writing on other fanfictions that may be posted eventually if I ever finish this one because I'm trying my ADHD plot bunnies who are as cuddly as Caerbannog. but hey I've just about filled up the better part of a 3 subject pad of paper in a week. that's not bad from someone who only a little of a month was suffering form severe writer's block. Now before my computer decides to BSoD on me here is the Disclaimer and I'll stop my jabbering. This chicka is off to bed (if you count writing till I fall asleep drooling on my notes as bed XD)

Thanks to my awesome reviewer Answerthecall!

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers or the evil bunny mentioned above.

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Chapter 15: Taken

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"Good Lord."

Mercy looked up as the twinge of fear she felt and heard in Torri's voice as her twin stood up as she glared at the television. Mercy set aside the bowl of batter she had been mixing. "Torri? What is it?" she said as she came to stand beside her. She found her gaze drawn to the screen as she stared at D.C in flames on the news...

"Torri, I'm going to go talk to Anna." Mercy said as she went up the stairs.

"I'll go call Will. I doubt he's heard anything yet since he's on the road." Torri said as she began to look for her cell. _Shit where did I leave-_ Torri's thought was cut off as the world around her exploded.

X

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"Zeke?! ZEKE?!" Sam yelled as he burst in to his loft.

"Over here." Zeke said as she looked up from her book.

"What the hell are you doing?! Half of the District is on fire and is being bombed!"

Zeke sighed as she set the book aside and stood up from the sofa. The sounds of fighting bots thundered outside suddenly and Sam caught sight of a black and white mech flying by before being followed by Bee. "Of course it is Sam."

"Will you hurry up?" Sam grabbed her wrist. "Brains! Wheelie! Let's get out of here!"

"I'm afraid that they're a little locked up at the minute." Zeke said before her fist slammed into Sam's nose.

"Argh Zeke what the hell?!" Sam reared back from her as his nose exploded in a flood of blood.

"I'm sorry Sam." She said as she sucker punched him in the chest before kneeing him in the groin and lastly knocking him out with a well aimed punch to the side of his head when he doubled over from the pain. She walked over to the window as she heard the fighting cease and opened it to find the black and white mech grinning at her.

"I take it you've got the boy?"

"Get your aft up here and help me with my cousin Cade." she said as she shut the glass quickly.

x

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Charlotte Mearing was sitting in her living room with a glass white zinfandel and a copy of The Zombie Survivor Guide. She chuckled at the authors antics as she read through the irritatingly funny little book that she had snatched from a soldier at the base. She had taken not only to punished the soldier, (for reading while he was supposed to be on guard duty) but because it kind of looked like and musing read.

_Eh those assholes all think I'm a bitch anyways so I'll just be one._ She repeated her mantra as she took a sip of her wine.

The wall of her living room burst inward from beside her, She tossed the book and dodged forward landing on her feet, gun in hand as she ran for the door.

A deep rumbling voice cursed out in cybertronian behind her as several energy blasts shot past her head. She reached to door just as the mech let off one final blast... and everything went black.

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Oliver groaned as he crawled out from under what had once been his bathroom wall. _What the hell was that?_ he thought as he stood up. He was cut and bleeding from several places on his chest and it hurt when he had pulled himself out. He glanced around trying to see through the smoke and dust.

"Get away from me!"

"Anna?!" Oliver yelled as he snapped his head in the direction of her voice. The haze lifted enough for him to make out something that made his blood run cold. A large cybertronian was reaching for Anna. Oliver cursed as he scrambled over the ruins of his house, his bare feet picking up slivers of glass. He tripped over a slab of concrete as Annabelle let out a loud screech. He gazed up in time for find that the mech had caught it's prey. And with a quick run he watched as the decepticon transformed and took off quickly followed by the sounds of another jet taking off not too far behind it.

"Damn it!" He growled. He ran the rest of the way to the neighboring house, ignoring the stinging cuts he earned in doing so. "TORRI? MERCY? ARE YOU THERE? ANSWER ME!" He yelled praying that they hadn't been captured too.

"Down here!" a small beam of light flashed from below.

Shit the basement. Oliver ran over to the hole and peered down into the cellar.

"Torri?"

"I'm alright but I'm stuck down here. What happened to Anna and Mercy?"

"I haven't seen Mercy but Anna was taken."

"Shit." Torri growled as she glared around the basement. The flashlight casting dimly through the dust. It's light landing on what remained of the stairwell, and the emergency supplies they kept stashed there. "Mercy's not here so they must have taken her too." She grinned as she limped over to the stash carefully not liking the loud protesting squeaks he prosthesis was making. "Hey Oliver!" she called out once she found what she needed.

"Yeah I'ma toss you a line okay?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Is there anything left you can tether it to?"

"Uh..." Oliver glanced around as he stared at the wreckage that was their houses. "Yeah!"

"Then here!" The rope hit him in the head.

"Ow!"

"Sorry... Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." Oliver yelled as he ran to the only thing he could think of tethering the rope to. When he returned a duffle bag, a first aid kit and a tool box had appeared around the top of the hole. "It's anchored!"

"Good." Torri growled as she gripped the rope. Her wrist screamed in protest as she started to shimmy up the rope. _That's definitely a sprain._ she thought as she tried to focus on getting out of the basement. Oliver reached for her as she drew closer to the top, grabbing the wrist, causing her to hiss in pain before he quickly reached for her elbow instead. She sat in the ruins of her home, her heart clenched tightly as she feared the worst for Annabelle and her sister.

"This is going to sound stupid... but do you have a phone?"

Torri gave a torn half bark of a laugh as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the only thing that probably saved her from their fate... _Mercy... Anna..._


	17. Chapter 16: Resplendent

Okay so here's the new chapter. :D I'm already typing on the next one... I posted a Poll on my profile... I'm debating on who to kill (Muahaha...) And I guess I'd like some input... Especially since my muses are already berating me for the clichéd plot. Seriously, I'm sure at some random point in the next chapter I might briefly break the fourth wall... THey don't like me for the time being... x.x

Anywho go give me an idea who to kill! PLEASE! Oh and R&R.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers

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Chapter 16: _Resplendent_

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Blue was nervous. His processor running overtime, it was still having a hard time that Sentinel was still alive, He had started missing Oliver when they had entered Ohio, and he couldn't talk to anyone...

The cellphone in his glove compartment began to buzz. Blue activated his holoform and took out the silly little device that Oliver had insisted on taking with him. _Already missing me too, eh little brother? _he thought as he opened the phone.

His spark missed a beat as the energon in him froze at the picture on the phone. His tires screeching painfully as he locked his brakes.

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"What do you mean the base is being attacked?!" Will growled into the phone.

_:Ironhide to Optimus.: _Ironhide tried to com Optimus again. F_ragging con's must have jammed their comlink frequencies._

There was a loud screech as the Datsun behind him came to a dead halt. Ironhide slowed his speed when he notice that the younger bot had reversed directions and has heading back. Minorly grateful for the smart thinking of the chatterbox's charge for giving him the cell number he texted the bot.** What the frag are you doing?! We have to report into to base.**

x

Blue glanced at the phone as it pinged beside him before forwarding the picture to Ironhide and texting him the details that Oliver had sent him. He dismissed the holoform and put all his concentration into getting back to Oliver. _I should have never left._

_x _

"FRAG!" Ironhide cursed through his radio. A nasty feeling of dread came over Will as Ironhide reversed direction and started to speed up to catch up with the Datsun.

"Ironhide?"

"Oliver just sent Blue a picture of Torri and Mercy's house. Apparently the DC NEST base isn't the only place the decepticons decided to attack."

"What about Anna?"

"They took Mercy and Anna."

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"It was a distraction." Dino said as he surveyed the destroyed base. "The slagging fraggers slipped in to rescue their bitch."

"Just be glad that they did not get the pillars." Ratchet said as he finished repairing Sideswipe.

Sideswipe just scoffed and nodded at the mess. "I'm just glad Mearing isn't here bitching."

Optimus frowned. _She should have been here by now... that femme is never this late for a 'scolding'. _he regretted what he was about to do. He switched to a personal comlink and dialed her number.

_"You have reached the voicemail of MISS Charlotte Mearing..."_ he disconnected before trying Sam.

_"Hey it's Sam leave a message." _Optimus switched to Bee's comlink signal.

_::Bumblebee report.:: _There was no reply. "Dino go check on Liaison Mearing, Sideswipe go check on Bumblebee and Sam." He said after a minute of hearing nothing from the scout.

x

x

x

"Oliver hold still."

"It _hurts._" He whined as Torri inspected his chest.

"Of course it does. from what I can tell without a X-ray you've got at least two cracked ribs. Your whole chest is one big bruise, not to mention all of the cuts." she said before running a gentle hand over his scars. "You realise that the bastards should have been locked up for this right?"

Oliver said nothing as she applied the antiseptic to his cuts.

"You do realize that if Mercy found out you tied that line to the charger's axle she'd skin you alive."

"Didn't she threaten to do that for the paint?"

"Nah she wouldn't hurt you for that... Now I did distinctly hear the pained screams of your brother shortly after..." Torri bit her tongue as her worry started to rise and tears threatened to fall again. "Were you able to call out yet?" she asked as soon as she could trust her voice not to betray her.

"For some reason I could only text and send pictures..."

"Wonderful." She said as she finished cleaning the cuts as she pulled out a roll of gauze. "So... What can you tell me about _them_?"

"Who?"

"The robots."

"They're not robots. They're aliens from a planet called Cybertron..."

x

x

x

Sideswipe located and locked on to Bee's signal as he sped toward Sam's loft. about halfway there the comlink had gone back up and Ironhide had relayed his side of the news... Sideswipe turned a corner on to the alley that led to Sam's loft...

"Frag..." Sideswipe cursed as he came across the battered and damaged Bumblebee who was in stasis lock. He checked the comlink to finally find it open and working again. _:Sideswipe to Optimus, Bee is in stasis and he's pretty dinged up. Sending coordinates to his location: _He could hear Ratchet curse over the open com he'd sent out.

He activated his holoform and jogged up to the loft. the door was unlocked... there were minor signs of a struggle and some blood in the floor. "Sam? Wheelie? Brains?"

"In here slaggit!" His hearing picked up the curse. her headed up to the bedroom. The smaller bots were beating against the closet door which was barricaded by a armoire. Sideswipe snickered at the thought of the spazzy human owning such a 'girly' piece of furniture. He shoved the armoire aside and the door burst open.

"'bout friggen time someone let us out of here!" Wheelie complained as he wheeled out of the closet.

"Where's Sam?" Sideswipe glared at the minicons.

"Man we don't know." Brains glared. "We've been locked in that closet all day ever since that slaggin' femme threw us both in here."

"Femme?"

"Tha boy's cousin." Brains supplied a file showing the girl.

Sideswipe snorted. "You got beat up by a girl..."

"Aw shut up! We didn't think she knew about us until she cornered us with that damnable taser. Damn near short circuited poor Brains into a glitch."

The laptop nodded gruffly. "It slaggin' hurt too."

_:Sideswipe ETA two minutes.: _Ratchet commed him.

"You two get your afts downstairs and meet us outside." Sideswipe said before dismissing his holoform.

Ratchet, sirens wailing swerved into the alley before he transformed and came to a stop at the scouts feet. What happened to him?"

"No clue, the mini's were locked up so they never saw a thing and Sam's MIA. As is his cousin." Sideswipe replied as he though over what Wheelie had said. "I hate to say it but it seems she might be working with the 'Cons from what they told me."

"The 'Cons wouldn't work with the humans... torture them yes. But they'd never work with them." Ratchet said as he went over Bumblebee's scans.

_:Ratchet what is Bumblebee's status?:_

_:All of his wounds are superficial. Whoever put him into stasis must have pinched his main energon line in his neck. He'll be sore but fine.:_ Ratchet frowned. :_Something doesn't make sense here... if a con did this then why did they leave Bee online? Given the chance they would have offlined him... And the slagger that did this left him alive... only to kidnap Sam... and his cousin... but if what the minicons said is true...:_

_:What did Wheelie and Brains say?:_

_:They reported to Sideswipe that Sam's cousin attacked them and locked them in a closet.:_

_:Maybe she's a pretender?:_

Ratchet frowned and looked over at the minicons. "Tell me was Sam's cousin really his cousin?"

"She weren't no pretender. I watched her fall down the stair the other day and almost broke her nose. She was bleeding blood not energon." Wheelie said, avoiding the death glare that Ratchet was giving him. "We scanned her to make sure we didn't need to call you of course." The minicon shuddered as Ratchet relayed this to Optimus, taking his gaze off of them.

_:I don't like it. Why would she willingly work with the decepticons?: _

_:Who says she willingly did this?: _Optimus pointed out before venting a sigh. _:Return to base.:_

_x_

_x_

_x_

Optimus was worried. Dino just finished comming him about Mearings house being destroyed and burning... There was no sign of the hardaft'd woman who was more of a dictator than a liaison. He had at first feared that she had perished from the fire, but with the news that Ratchet and Sideswipe had given him about Sam and his cousin, He realized that they were more than likely taken hostage by the decepticons.

_:Ironhide to Optimus:_

_:Come in.:_

_:About fragging time. I've been comming you for almost an hour. The con's attacked bombed the outskirts of Chicago and have taken Lennox's daughter and sister-in-law hostage.:_

_Resplendent..._ Optimus thought with sarcasm.


	18. Chapter 17: Cliched

Okay new chapter yays! Anywhoo.. There still is that poll if anyone WANTS to HELP me decide on who to kill... n.n; Ah well...

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

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Chapter 17: Clichéd

X

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Mercy came to in the cockpit of a jet. _A. Fucking. Jet._ her mind screamed as she hyperventilated, her acrophobia taking over and she passed out. She awoke to a something tightly clenching her in it's grasp. She blink wearily up at the Blue and grey mech before growling at him as she began to squirm. "Oh this is ridiculous. Really, kidnapping and holding hostages is a freaking cartoon villain's move. It's stupid and something is bound to go bad even if you _do _kill one of us."

"Silence." The mech said quietly as he carried her down the hall.

"Let me go you fucking asshole!" Mercy yelled as she beat her hands uselessly against the Mech's hand. "I swear to God himself that I will reconfigure you into a freaking septic tank!" She growled. "I'll use your eyes to light up my jack-o-lantern for Halloween! And I'll replace your Voice box with a baby dolls!"

The mech squeezed his hand tighter, making her squeak in pain as he forced the air out of her lungs. He grinned as she was forced into silence. HE finally eased his grip as he remembered to that she needed to breathe...

"Bastard. I am going to take you apart if I ever get free."

"For the love of Primus will you please shut up?" The mech growled as he opened a panel in the wall. Without warning he slung her into the room, causing her to fall into a heap of limbs on the floor. She scrambled to her feet to glare at the mech who only smirked at her before closing the panel.

"You asshole! When I get out of here you are dead! You hear me? Dead!"

"Mercy?"

Mercy spun to find Annabelle chained to the wall. "Annie! Oh god what the hell happened to you?" she rushed over to her niece and took count of the bruises. "I swear I will make them pay for this."

"... They didn't chain you up..." Annabelle looked at her.

"No..." Mercy grinned as she began to look over the lock. _Damn this thing is going to take some time to break..._

_X_

_X_

x

Sam came to with a splitting headache... He discovered that his arms were shackled to the wall behind him as he tried to move them into a more comfortable position. He stared at the room around him. His eyes narrowed on the brunette as she smiled at him.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." Zeke said from her position on the opposite wall.

"WHAT THE HELL ZEKE?!" Sam exploded as he glared at her. "You hit me! Wait... where are we?"

"Yes that would be a relevant question."

"C-Charlotte?" Sam glanced over to the blonde against the other wall of their cell. "Oh this can't be good..."

"We were kidnapped by the decpticons Samuel." Mearing said irritably.

"No _she _was the one to knock me out." Sam glared at his cousin who only looked down.

"I had no choice." Zeke said quietly.

"Bullshit!"

"Shut up!" Zeke glared at him. "You don't know what the fuck the last year has been like for me. I had to do what they told me. I had no choice in the matter when they caught me."

"Really. They've been watching you 24/7? you couldn't just write me a fucking note saying 'Oh hey Sam, I'm being forced to spy on you by giant evil cybernetic aliens that want you and your best friends dead'?"

"Fuck you." Zeke glared.

THe panel that was the door to their cell slid open and a black and white mech strode into the room. "Barricade." Sam hissed. "How many times does Bumblebee have to kill you before you stay offline?"

Barricade glared down at him before staring over at the other two in the cell.

"Well what the hell do you want?" Mearing growled at the blurry figure in front of her. The one that had kidnapped her had broken her glasses, rendering her damn near blind.

"Information. Where are the other NEST bases located?"

"Go fuck yourself." Mearing spat at him.

"You will tell, or drastic measures will be taken to... procure the information out of you."

Mearing bared her teeth as she hissed, "I'll never tell you shit."

"Have it your way then." Barricade vented as he turned and headed out of the room. He paused for a second, his eyes lighting on the other femme for barely a second before exiting, the panel closing with a snap.

x

X

X

"You know that femme I captured is right."

Starscream glanced over at his trinemate, Thundercracker who had yet to stop complaining about the whinny femme he'd captured. "Right about what?"

Thundercracker smirked as he turned to face his brother. "She said that this whole thing is 'A horribly clichéd plot from a stupid cartoon.' and declared it rather pathetic that 'The villains couldn't come up with a better plan than to take hostages.' I can't help saying it but she is right... Why couldn't we just I don't know take over one random city and make a fortress out of it or I don't know create a secret base that's undetectable like... I don't know underwater or some slag?"

"You know he has a point." a black and purple mech spoke up as he came over to listen to his brothers. "The whole kidnap them and torture them thing is rather clichéd."

"Shut up the both of you." Starscream yelled as he hit both Thundercracker and Skywarp in their helms.

"So... when is Shockwave getting here?" Thundercracker asked as Skywarp wandered off grumbling about needing to go out for a fly.

"He and the rest of the crew of the Harbringer will be here in the next solar cycle." Starscream glared over at his brothers. "Any news from Lord Megatron?"

"He said he will meet with us when Shockwave gets here, something about not wanting to deal with your sniveling for too long." Barricade said as he entered the bridge.

"Watch your tone with me Barricade. I've no qualms with throwing you overboard, groundpounder." Barricade sneered at the derogatory term earning him a smirk from Starscream. "What did the fleshling tell you."

"Besides the obvious 'I'll never talk'? Nothing." Barricade vented.

"Wonderful, at least Soundwave and Shockwave will have some new playthings when they get here." Starscream muttered as he glared out the windows.

"You're giving them to _Shockwave_?"

"Why yes. Lord Megatron wants to delve deeper into the boys conciousness to see if he still retains any of the information that the Allspark transferred to him years ago. As for the others... He has been toying with several... _ideas._"

Barricade mentally shuddered at the thought. "And my charge?"

"She is of no concern of yours anymore. She has given us the boy, she has served her purpose."


	19. Chapter 18: Blame

Another chapter! Yays! 2 in one day! I can't say I completely agree with how some parts of this chapter that I've wrote in at least three different times. And in the end it kind of came out as a combination of the three.

Disclaimer: I don't Own Transformers

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Chapter 18: Blame

x

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Oliver glanced nervously over at the quiet woman next to him as she silently worked on her prosthetic leg. She had gone silent since he had told her all he knew about the cybertronians. He had let her know that Blue was on his way back with Ironhide and Will. And she hadn't said more than a syllable at a time since, Most of them were for specific tools from the toolkit.

"Duct tape."

As Oliver complied with the request a screech of tires and a familiar engine screamed on to their street. Oliver stood up and waved at the Datsun as Blue transformed back into his bipedal from a and jogged the rest of the way over not caring who saw him. He barely came to a stop as he swooped Oliver up into his servos.

"I'm so, so sorry Ollie I should have never left! Can you forgive me? How bad-" Blue's rambling was cut off by a small but accurately thrown wrench to the helm. He blinked as he stared down at the woman who glared up at him.

"Watch how you hold him you gargantuan idiot! He's got several cracked ribs! I don't need you to finish breaking them! If you do I'll smelt you down in to a whole new set of wrenches for Mercy to play with!" Torri yelled up at him before returning to finishing up on her temporary repairs on her leg.

"I'm sorry Dr. Hawkins." Blue said as he put Oliver back on to the ground.

She shot him a glare just as the topkick came to a stop and Will hopped out. The truck shifted and transformed into a massive black mech under her glare. Will stared at the house before his gaze settled on her to meet her angry green one.

"Torri, Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." she said in a level tone as she glared at him.

"I suppose I have some explaining to do."

She scoffed and spread her arms wide. "I don't think there's much else you can tell me besides how long you've been working with them."

"Since the attack on SOCCENT."

"Figures." She grumbled as she pulled her pant leg down and went to get to her feet. Will came over and helped her up. "Let's get out of here." She said before closing the tool kit. "Oliver don't forget my bag." She told the boy who nodded and grabbed the duffle bag.

"Just like that? You're not going to freak out or nothing?" Will blinked at her.

"What would be the point? Right now Anna and my twin are in the hands of the enemy and sitting here 'freaking out' isn't going to get them back." Torri said her mouth drawn into a thin line.

X

X

x

Several hours later somewhere in Arkansas...

_:We've set up transport to the Nevada base: Optimus relayed to Ironhide. :Ratchet has told Jolt of Bluestreak's predicament and will be waiting for you.:_

_:We should there in the morning if we keep this speed.:_ Ironhide said. _:When will you be arriving?:_

_:Later tomorrow, we've a lot of clean up to preform here and Ratchet wants Sunstreaker online before we move out.:_

_:Right then.:_ Ironhide said disconnecting the link. He vented an audible sigh as he kept his attention on the road and not on the silence in his cabin.

x

x

Will was dying from the silence and the occasional glares from Torri. Guilt was eating him alive as he tried to thin of a decent way of apologizing to her without provoking her. _Ah hell, there's no way I'm going to get out of this without being yelled at..._

"I'm sorry."

He blinked at her. "W-what?"

"I apologize in failing you. I failed to keep her safe."

"Torri you didn't-"

"I broke our deal on communication silence. They more than likely traced the phone call I made several weeks ago. I was stupid and this is the price for my stupidity."

"Torri... They probably would have found you guys anyways. It didn't help that you didn't know who we've been fighting all these years." Will said quietly. "I should have informed you and Mercy from the beginning."

"You can't give away above top secret information with out committing treason Colonel. And I know you. You'd never let anything slip if you can avoid it." Torri said returning her gaze out the window. "Besides if I think about it I kind of already knew about your friends."

"How?"

"Annabelle. She has had nightmares for years about the day her mother died. She used to draw her mothers killers... I always thought that it was just a way for her to interpret them... not that it really _was_ them." Torri said as she leaned back with a sigh. "It took Mercy forever to get her to be to the point where she doesn't wake up every night because of them."

Another silence fell in the cabin but the tension was better, though Torri still clenched her hands together in her lap. After a while she snickered, drawing Will's attention.

"Care to share the joke?"

"You are so lucky Mercy's not here. If it was the reverse, Mercy would have done beat the shit out of you."

"Thank god I got the tame twin then."

"Who said I was tame? Just because Mercy's a loose wire doesn't mean I'm not toying with the idea of popping a cap in you for omitting information. Just be glad that by being a doctor I have more of a conscience than my sister."

"So... In other words you would shot me but you don't want to be stuck patching me up when your done?"

"That would be correct."

x

x

x

"ARGH! DAMN THIS STUPID LOCK!"

"Seriously Aunt Mercy, did really think that you could crack the locks with a hairpin?"

"Well it works in the cartoons and movies!" Mercy growled before she pulled away from the lock.

Anna glared at her aunt. "Just because the bad guys are using an over clichéd plot doesn't mean that this is going to work out like the movies! This is real life Mercy!"

"You don't think I don't realize that?"

"Not with the way you keep acting. Sometimes I swear you act younger than I do."

Mercy frowned at Annabelle, he mouth working wordlessly. _I'm not that immature, I mean yeah so I do stupid stuff from time to time... Like the tornado chasing and teaching an eight year old how to make a homemade bomb by accidentally mixing house hold chemicals but still... I'm... not.. immature._ Mercy looked down as she turned around so Anna couldn't see how she had gotten under her skin.

"Mercy..." Anna said as her aunt turned away from her, tears in her eyes. "Mercy I didn't mean it. I'm just scared and I want to go home."

"Me too Anna, me too."


	20. Chapter 19: Unstable

Another day another chapter... n.n I've got nothing to say today besides thanks to everyone that is following and/or has faved this so far. And as always many thanks to Answerthecall for reviewing...

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. Thanks for reading and enjoy.

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Chapter 19: Unstable

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A small view panel slid open again for the tenth time that night... at least Zeke thought that it was still night. Sam and Mearing were both uneasily sleeping in their uncomfortable positions. Zeke was barely awake, she had long since learned to sleep with one eye open when around the 'Cons.

She glanced through her peripherals to see a familiar pair of crimson optics examining the room around them. Zeke sighed and shook her head before turning away from the door. A hand gently grasped her chin and slowly turned her face toward it's owner.

"Zeke. Look at me." Barricade whispered. She opened her grey eyes to stare in to the holoform's red ones. "I am sorry, but they plan to turn you over to Shockwave."

"Isn't he the one that you warned me about?"

Barricade sighed, before leaning his forehead against hers. "I won't let him have you. I promise this..."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Zeke whispered. "We both knew that things would end up like-" She was cut off by him seizing her lips with his own in a gentle kiss... He broke it off as he ran his hand tenderly across her cheek. "'Cade... There is nothing you can do."

"_Don't._ Don't say that."

Zeke gave him a sad smile. "You need to go." She whispered as she turned her head from him. He stared at her for almost a breem before dismissing the holoform. As soon as he dismissed the holoform she let the tears that filled her eyes fall.

What she was unaware of was Sam staring at her through his eyelashes.

x

x

x

Torri woke the instant the truck stopped moving. She started awake her gun in hand as she blinked owlishly at the desert around her. _What the... _She frowned she glanced over to find Will talking to a guard. The previous nights events hit her like a ton of bricks. A tiny welling of fear uncurled in her before she could stamp it down, tears threatening to fall.

"Are you okay Torrine?" Ironhide's voice came from his radio. Her eyes trained on the radio as she took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself.

"Torri?"

"I'm fine Will." Torri said replacing her gun back into it's holster as they drove into the base. A quick glance at her watch told her that it was ten til noon.

"I like your teddy bear." Will smirked as he tried to get her to laugh as he noted the stress written all over her.

"I had the safety on." She said almost monotonously.

"I'm sure you did."

Torri sighed before shooting him a glare. "If you're making a smartass remark to the _one _time where I put bullets the wall because you scared me awake, I told you it was an _accident_."

"You were just mad because I forgot your coffee."

"I told you not to wake me without the coffee." Torri smiled weakly at the memory. "Thus it was not completely my fault."

"Whatever you say."

"Ass." She smirked.

"Is that how you talk to a commanding officer?"

"One, I was discharged. Two, _if _I was still an active member of the military, I would by now no doubt be CMO of whatever unit I was assigned to. And three, if I was assigned to serve under you, I'd make sure you spent all your time injured so that _my _word would be _law._"

Will shuddered at the thought. "I should be glad that Mercy couldn't deal with fighting."

"It wasn't the fighting so much as the Acrophobia. Her damnable fear of heights is ridiculous." Torri shook her head. "Did I ever tell you about the time she got our mother on the no-fly list? Mercy screamed that she had a bomb and threw a massive fit. My mother couldn't tell the two of us apart and ended up grounding the both of us for six months." Torri's smile faded as she found herself worrying about Mercy.

"We'll find them." Will said as Ironhide came to a stop outside of the medbay. "This is our stop." Will said as he hopped out of the truck. Torri followed suit and instantly focused on Oliver who was standing gingerly on his feet next to Blue. Oliver flinched at her glare.

"Painkillers worn off haven't they?"

"Maybe?" The boy grimaced.

Torri sighed and followed the others into the medbay. She let out a whistle at the sheer size of the medbay (clearly made for the aliens not for the humans use which she could see the doors to the human's part of the medbay clearly marked by the signs on the doors).

"Get on the berth Bluestreak and I'll see if I can help you out." A voice said from behind them. Torri turned to find another mech, a blue one, behind them.

"Jolt! It's been forever since I last seen you! How've you been? So you still an apprentice then? Are you sure you feel like messing around with my head-"

"For the love of all that is sacred who is the motor mouth? He's already making my head hurt." a voice growled from the doors to the human medbay. The humans in the room turned to find a dark skinned grey haired man in a lab coat standing there. Torri had to do a double take when she first laid eyes on him... He wasn't that much older than her and he was already completely grey...

"Dr. Wentauker!" Will waved as he motioned for Torri and Oliver to follow him.

"Colonel Lennox. It sure has been awhile since you last graced this base. To what honor do we have to enjoy this visit?"

"You mean you haven't heard about the D.C. base being attacked?"

The doctor looked shocked. "Um... No."

"... Should I bother to ask why?"

"It would be safer to say no." the man said shaking his head before he caught sight of Torri and Oliver. "What happened to them?"

"My house was blown up." Torri said as they walked into the med bay. She held out her hand the doctor. "My name's Torrine Hawkins. What's your specialty Dr. Wentauker? Medical or surgical?"

The doctor eyed her for a minute. "Psychiatric. But I know enough to get me by in the field when it come's to medical." He glanced over at Oliver who was still shirtless. "Your handiwork?"

Torri grinned. "Yep."

"I've got some stuff to attend to along the lines of filling out reports about last night, so I'm going to leave you two here. Neal can I have a word?"

The doctor nodded and followed WIll over to the door while Torri ordered Oliver on to the exam table. Will glanced over at Torri as she gently began to unwrap the boy's feet. "Neal, Torri's sister and her niece, my daughter Annabelle were taken by the Decepticons."

"Are you okay?" The doctor glanced him over.

"For the mean time... I'm more concerned about Torri. This has hit her rather hard, between finding out about the Cybertronians and worrying about losing her twin sister and Annabelle she a little on the edgy side."

"Edgy as in nervous? Or edgy as in unstable?"

"Unstable." Will said with a glance at the female doctor who was grimacing at Oliver's feet. "Hell maybe it's both..."

Neal smiled as he put a reassuring hand on Will's shoulder. "I'll see what I can do to help her relax. I won't sedate her unless I absolutely have to. But If you need to vent, my door is open."

"There's always the firing range for me."

"Mhm..." Neal shook his head.

"Dr. Wentauker? Where do you keep your antiseptics?"

"Uh.. One second." The doctor said before turning away from Will.

"Oh by the way Neal, Torri's a medical doc." Will said as he exited. "Just let her do her thing with the boy. It might help her unwind a little."

X

x

X

"Damn these things!" Mercy growled at the shackles. She had gone back to attacking the things as soon as she felt rested enough to do so. But nothing worked on the stupid lock... "God forsaken chunks of scrap metal!"

"Mercy..." Annabelle sighed as her aunt hissed and spat just above her head. "Maybe you should try to sneak out and see if you could find something that works..."

"Not way. I'm not leaving you here."

"You've been trying to get them open for hours... Mercy THey're not going to open or break that easily."

"I'm not going to leave you here. God only knows why those bastards kidnapped us but They will have to kill me first before I'll let them hurt you."

"Aunt Mercy _please. _You know the only way that I'm getting out of these things is if _they _or _you _get me out. But since _you _can't..."

Mercy growled at Annabelle's reasoning. _Damn it all she's right... _"And how do you propose I get out of here? I doubt I can open the door."

"I've been glaring at that grate in the wall near the floor for over an hour... I think you might fit through it..."

"Grate?" Mercy turned and saw the grate that Annabelle pointed out. Sure enough it looked to be wide enough for a human to slip through... Apparently their titanic captors must not have many 'visitors' as small as them, so they didn't think about making the ventilation smaller. "Anna I can't."

"You need to go find something to help get these things off so that we can get out of here."

Mercy shook her head adamantly. "I can't-"

"Yes, yes you can now go. And hurry up, my arms hurt." Anna urged her on. Mercy walked over and stared at the grate before turning to look back at Annabelle who made a shooing notion with her hands. "GO."

"I will be back." Mercy said as she slipped in between the bars.

Annabelle let loose a soft sob as Mercy disappeared into the vent. "Please come back..."


	21. Chapter 20: Glares

Wow Chapter 20! I'm actually surprised how far along I've gotten on this story. I belive as of this moment that this is currently my second longest story to date! TvT It makes me very happy. Many, many thanks to everyone who's currently reading this and of course much love to Answerthecall, You're awesome man! Anywho enough of my blabbering I should probably shut up and go work on catching plot bunnies and clearing out tumbleweeds... And maybe procure some chocolate...

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

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Chapter 20: Glares

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X

The door to their cell opened and several guards came in and took Mearing out. All the while Sam never stopped glaring without hesitation at Zeke until another set of guards came to collect them both about ten minutes later...

x

x

x

"Ow... Ow... Ow... Ow..."

"If you keep this up I'll ask Neal for the alcohol instead." Torri fixed Oliver with a glare as she cleaned the multitude of angry red cuts. Most of them were crusted over and on the mend... but there were several that were infected. Jolt had called the base doc over to the Autobot med bay leaving Oliver to Torri's mercy as she lanced the infected cuts and cleaned them.

"Ouch..." Oliver said through gritted teeth as she pulled a fine sliver of metal out of his back.

"I'm sorry that I was unable to do this last night but you've got to sit still so i can make sure that your cuts are clean."

Several minutes passed before the boy whined, "Are you done yet?"

Torri raised a brow as the side of her mouth twitched. "Almost." she said pulling out a roll of gauze. By the time she finished wrapping his chest she was ready to strangle him. She stepped back and looked him over. "I think I'm going to bug Wentauker for some antibiotics for you..." She mumbled as she poked his feet earning a hiss from the teenager.

"I thought you were a doctor not a sadist."

"Don't move." she said before walking over and poking her head into the other med bay. Oliver twitched. He couldn't stand sitting there much longer... he was _bored._

"Thanks!" Torri came back and began rifling through a cabinet. She pulled out a bottle of pills and a prefilled syringe. Oliver's eye widened at the sight of the needle.

"W-What's _that_ for?"

"Its a tetanus shot. I removed a fair amount of shit from you body, and it's a precaution."

"Well screw that I ain't takin no bloody shot you cun keep dat dere needle aways from me!"

"Oh don't you dare go Texan on me boy, you're getting this shot."

"'ell no!" Oliver yelled as he leapt off of the table. "Put tha thing away!"

"Oliver don't you make me chase you." she said rounding the table. "Don't-" she started as the boy darted out of the med bay. She growled and pursued. "Damn it Oliver!"

XxX

The Autobots had just been dropped off and were just being to shift into their bipedal forms and stretching, when they heard a loud screech.

"Damn it woman I tol ya no!" A red haired teenager yelled as he streaked across the hanger as fast as he could.

"GET BACK HERE YOU CRYBABY!"

"NO! I AIN'T LETTIN YA GIT ME WITH THA THING!"

The woman gave a growl as she cut across the room diagonally. "If you torn your feet open again I'll sedate you Oliver!"

"Not if ya can't catch-" He slammed into a holoform that appeared right in front of him, causing him to fall on his rear after colliding with him. "Ow..." Oliver hissed as his ribs protested the collision.

"I believe you said that already." Torri's voice said breathless but darkly from above him. Oliver squeaked nervously in the dark look in her eyes. "I told you not to run." she glared at him before looking back up at the holoform in front of her. "Thank you..."

"Ratchet." he said as he studied the femme in front of him who had a firm but gentle grip on the boy in the floor in front of his holoform. He raised a brow as she quickly pulled a needle out of her pocket uncapped it and jabbed it into the boy's arm who shouted and glared at her for the action.

"Oh shut it you brat. I've had infants that didn't even blink from getting their shots."

"It still hurt!"

"Crybaby." She cuffed him lightly on the back of the head. "I could have risked letting you get lockjaw and have to be fed through a tube before you'd keel over from tetanus. Would you have preferred that?" Torri smirked at his glare. She returned her attention back to Ratchet who wore look torn between amusement and being pissed. "Thank you again. I really hate it when they run... I should have locked to door."

"Who gave you permission to administer that shot to him?"

Torri blinked as she took in Ratchet's stern tone _Oh that's right Wentauker told me that he's the CMO here.._. "Dr. Wentauker let me resume my care over this impudent brat-"

"Hey!" Oliver protested. "I am not a brat!"

"-When Jolt asked for his assistance on helping to repair Blue. Sir." She said with a weak smile before holding her hand out to him. "Torrine Hawkins M.D. I'm the one that originally patched this twit up."

"I can really feel the love Ms. Hawkins." Oliver smarted off.

"If you wanted neighborly love you should seek it from someone who has had more that six hours of solid sleep in the last four days. Besides I _warned_ you not to run from me. Now on your feet and march back to the med bay."

"How about I just stay here for a bit." Oliver laid down on the floor with a smirk that said that there was no way she was getting him back to that place willingly.

"Fine with me... But you left your ibuprofen laying on the exam table and I am not bringing it to you. So if you want to be able to _breathe _when what little bit I already administered to you wears off you probably should consider getting up."

"I would never thought that you'd be more evil than Mercy..."

"I hide it better. Now come on." she said pulling him up with her good arm. She went to lead the boy forward when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Ms. Hawkins do you realise that your wrist is broken?" Ratchet said as she glanced back at him. _Peachy..._Torrine thought as she grit her teeth as she turned to face him with an annoyed smile. _Somehow don't think he's going to let me deal with it myself..._

x

x

x

Mercy cursed her luck as she stumbled in the ventilation. So far she had yet to find any other prisoners in any of the nearby cells. Finally after taking a left hand turn she heard some noise...

But she found their source she regretted it. A little bot and several guards were in the next cell she found, but what shocked her the most was the bleeding and battered that the little mech was currently torturing with what appeared to be a welding torch... for what seemed to be fun if their laughter was any proof to it... Another bot came into the room and growled at the ones in a weird clicking staticky sound and the others dropped their fun and shuffled out the door in a hurry.

Mercy stuck her head out and glanced around the room once she was sure they were gone. Her eyes lit on the abandoned torch. Her goal set in mind she darted out to the table. She snatched up the torch and looked it over... "How in the devil did he make this work?" she muttered as she fiddled with it.

"You twist it." Mercy jumped a mile at the sound of the voice. She spun around to find a pair of weary blue optics watching her cautiously. Mercy stared at the mech in front of her taking not of the burned, torn, and scarred armor. He was a wreck. what little paint there was appeared to be white and blue. Mercy opened her mouth to reply when a loud shouting from the hallway caught her attention as a mixture of cybertronian and english yelling came from the hallway.

"Let go of me asshole!" Annabelle scream echoed off the metal of the hall, and a bolt of fear shot through Mercy.

"Tell me where the femme doctor went!"

"Fuck you!" This was soon followed by an agonized screech.

"Anna..." Mercy said as she paled.

The guards and Anna's voice moved away as there was a growling in the bots original language and shuffling noises.

"They are looking for you."

"Gee thanks I would have never figured that out." Mercy snapped at the bot. She glanced at his restraints for a minute before looking at her new toy. "Say, What's your name?"

"My designation is Prowl femme."

"Okay." Mercy nodded her head. "How about I make you a deal? I get you out of those shackles and you help me get my niece out of this hell hole."

"The likelihood of accomplishing that is very low."

"True, but there is still the _chance_ that you can help me get her out."

Prowl stared at the fleshling in front of him, noting the determination in her eyes. What she was asking was stupid and the odds were that this was going to end up with both of them offlined. "Get me free first and I will _try_ to help you."

x

x

x

Charlotte Mearing had been tortured before... it was one of the things that had made her as cold as she was to everyone and everything. But as the decepticon who had called himself Starscream agonizingly raked his clawed servos down her body she had mild fears of what the bastard had in mind as he drew yet even more blood.

"Are you going to talk or not?"

"Go fuck yourself." she hissed as he chuckled.

"All I want is the location to all of the Autobot bases on earth."

"Do you really think I'd tell you?"

Starscream growled in irritation as he drew back his servo ready to offline the femme.

"Having fun Starscream?" Megatron asked in an exasperated tone as he came onto the bridge.

"I was just interrogating this captive for-"

"Spare me the details. Is Barricade bringing the rest of the worms up for our little conference call?"

"Yes sir."

"Good." Megatron said before he picked up Mearing and lifted her up to his optic level. She spat in his face plates earning a growl from him as he squeezed her in his servo. "ST3-VE open a wide broadcast comm link."

X

x

X

"Just hurry it up will you?" Torri growled as Ratchet worked on setting her bones. She hated the disjointed non-pain from the localized anesthetic he had used.

"I should have put you under." He grumbled irritably.

"And I don't feel like being out for a week. So can it Doc and set them bones." Torri snapped. She hated being treated for anything, especially after her accident. SHe had never really been in any accidents up until that point, and despite being a doctor and completely understanding why, she found it annoying as hell to have someone else treat whatever was wrong with her.

"If I remember correctly you told the boy that you hadn't had proper rest for several solar cycles." Ratchet pointed out as he delicately began to close up her arm. "May I ask why?"

"I'm a ER doc. I had just gotten off a 36 hour shift when Will came to visit us and I was actually on my way to bed when the house got blown to hell. And before you even think about it I'm allergic to most tranqs and I'm not telling you which ones don't effect me negatively. I will rest in my own time." Torri stuck her tongue out at him when he glared at her briefly.

"You do realize that I can easily hack into your medical files don't you?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

Torri glared at him, but before she could retort Ratchet frowned and the his blue eyes went dim. They brightened after a second and he began to hurry with her arm. "What's wrong?"


	22. Chapter 21: Concern

New Chapter! New Chapter! Hot off the press for ya'll to enjoy. Many thanks to those of ya that have faved this and is watching this. And many, many thanks to Answer the call who is currently the only reviewer out there... And guess my thanks goes out to those of ya'll that are reading this. n.n ... Anywho... on to the disclaimer and the story...

I think I might have to up the rating... I've noticed that Mercy is such a potty mouth...

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

Speech Key 

_'thoughts'_

:Comlink:

**Cybertronian**

* * *

Chapter 21: Concern

X

x

x

Mercy blinked up at Prowl as her common sense fought with her acrophobia.

_'I can do this... It's only what 20 feet...?_

_And I can just as easily fall and break my neck..._

_I have to do this..._

_I CAN'T._

_I must do this..._

_Can't... _

_Must..._

_Can't..._

_I have to for Annabelle...'_

"ARGH damn it to heck!" Mercy growled. "It's not like I can't frelling do it if my freaking head would shut the hell up! God It's just a little height! I can do it..." She stalked forward only to stop midstep. "I'm nuts. I'm going to end up falling and killing myself..." She grumbled before returning to her internal battle.

"..." Prowl watched the femme pace back and forth irritably as he listened to her growl at herself. "Are you done arguing with yourself?"

She turned with a glare at him. "I'm trying to talk myself into climbing up your aft. If you weren't in a standing position the height would be driving me as nuts."

"... you haven't even began to climb and you're already talking of falling off of me."

"Well if you must know I suffer from acrophobia the fear of heights and I don't care to fuck up, look down and cause myself to spaz and pass out at that height." She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths before opening them with the same determination she had had moments earlier. _The things we do for family... _she growled again before she leapt up and snagged Prowl's armor and began to shimmy up him. "Whatever you do _don't _talk to me."

X

x

X

:Hello _Brother...:_

"Colonel Lennox we've got an incoming signal! Theres a mass broadcast on-"

"On screen!" Lennox barked the order as soon as he noticed the autobots had tensed. Soon enough he clearly saw why as Megatron's ugly mug came up on screen.

"_Megatron." _Optimus' tone was dripping with venom.

"I believe you have something I want Optimus." Megatron sneered into the recording camera. "Just like I have something you want." Megatron held up a battered and Bleeding Mearing. His faceplates grinned at the resulting growls from Ironhide and Ratchet who had just entered the 'war room'.

"Release the Humans Megatron this is between us and you." Optimus glared at the decepticon warlord.

"Give us the control pillar for the space bridge and we will return your pets."

"Don't hand those pillars over! You have no right- Argh." Mearing gave a sharp cry as Megatron tightened his servo.

"Silence femme."

"Go to hell!" Mearing spat at him, blood slowly leaking from her mouth.

Megatron growled before turning his attention back to the broadcast. "Well what do you say a trade? Them for the pillar. And to show my resolve..." he tightened his grip on Mearing, who cried as she was steadily crushed in his servo, her bones snapping and breaking as blood poured from her wounds as tossed her to a point out of view.

Fury radiated off of the Prime as he glared at the mech he had once called brother. "We will give you the pillar. Just don't harm the other four humans."

"Starscream send him the coordinates. You are to come alone Optimus... And for every joor you make me wait I will kill another them." The communication cut out as the coordinatres were sent via comlink.

The rest of the gathered autobots burst into protest.

"You can't be seriously thinking-"

"Despicable decepticons it's a trap-"

"Did anyone else notice that he flinched when Optimus told him not to harm the other four hostages?"

"You aren't going alone!"

"I'm going with-"

"Ah ain't lettin ya go by yourself O.P."

"We need to come up with a plan." Optimus' baritone rumbled loudly as he held up a servo to silence everyone.

x

x

x

"What did he mean by four?" Megatron growled as he bashed Starscream's helm into the nearest wall."

"There were five hostages... but it appears that one of them escaped."

"..."

"Apparently someone didn't secure their hostage well enough, my Lord Megaton." Starscream whimpered from under Megatron's grip.

"Good lord he's still a whinny bitch even when he's getting the slag beat out of him." one of the humans muttered.

"Find it. I don't care how you dispose of it."

x

x

x

Mercy had her eyes shut as she tried to not to think about how she was clinging to Prowl's armored arm over twenty feet in the air. As it was she was already having to force herself to take deep breaths, and there was that insistant annoying panic side that was reminding her of the fact that she was very far out of her comfort zone.

A hiss came from the mech as her aim slipped and she accidentally put the torch on his armor. her eyes snapped open as she returned the torch back to the cuff. "S-sorry..." she said as she returned her eyes to the task at hand.

"Just don't miss again..." Prowl said quietly as he watched the door.

**"Have you found the fleshling yet?" Barricade growled at the current guard in the brig.**

**"Negative. We can only surmise that it escaped either through the ventilation or when we went it to retrieve the other femme."**

**"THen what are you doing standing here? Go find her!" **there was the loud sound of metal hitting metal and Mercy flinched at the sound. Prowl continued to watch the door as he listened to the guard run off. A few moments passed and the door to the cell opened to reveal Barricade.

Mercy stared at the black and white mech standing in the doorway, frozen in place as her mind was repeating _Oh shit!_ over and over.

The mech entered and let the door close behind him. "They're really in a panic searching for you." he said as he leveled her with a red glare. "Might I suggest you try using the key for those?"

Several moments passed as both Mercy and Prowl stared at him with wide eyes/optics. The was a quiet 'pop' and Prowl went slack in his bonds. Mercy screeched and clinged tighter to her handhold. The other mech came over and plucked her from her perch before setting the hyperventilating woman on the floor.

"Figured he'd glitch on me." Barricade chuckled as he reached around Prowl's head.

"Wait a minute! What the hell are you up to decpticreep?! And why the hell are you helping us?! Hello you're supposed to be the bad guy!" Mercy yelled.

"Keep you voice down femme. Unless you want us all to be caught." Barricade growled as he found the right wire on Prowl's helm. "You need my help to get out of here and I unfortunately need yours."

x

x

x

Starscream growled as he glared at Zeke. She had made yet another disparaging remark about his pede stabilizers and he was more than ready to offline the femme. He moved forward to grab her when someone pinged his comm.

:Barricade to Starscream I have located the femme. I will be on the bridge in a klik.:

A cruel smirk came to Starscream's face plates as he glanced down at Barricade's pet. :Lord Megatron... I have some information concerning Barricade's loyalty to you and our noble cause..:


	23. Chapter 22: Escape

Okay I will have to apologize her for the delay... though I did point out my unreliability to be frequent way back in the AN in chapter 1. So yeah. Also I am sorry that this chapter is so short... but I figured that where I left it off would be a good point. I had wrote out three different scenarios to this chapter and this is the one I stuck with... I hope it's okay.

I also have decided that I'm not to fond off the title here lately and I am open to any suggestions if anyone else thinks I should change it. Leave me a review!

Many thanks to those that are reading this and faved/following it. And of course many kudos to Answerthecall.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers

* * *

Chapter 22:

x

x

x

Things went to the pit fast as Zeke was slammed into the floor of the bridge, pinned there by Starscream's servo. Sam yelled her name as she whimpered, earning a chuckle form Megatron at the boys distress. Barricade eyed Starscream with narrowed optics. He sat the fleshling in his servo down next to the others, who scampered behind them to cower.

"Starscream informs me that you have become enamored by this fleshling." Megatron mused as Barricade gazed at his leader. "Tell me Barricade, is your loyalty to me or your fleshling?"

"You Lord Megatron." Barricade replied with no hesitation.

"Prove it." Megatron waved a servo at Starscream who stepped back from the femme.

Barricade grit his denta as he broke away from Megatron's gaze to stare at Zeke. She looked up at him with a mixed look of acceptance and defeat, before closing her eyes. He powered up his blaster as he aimed at her.

_:I hope you're ready: _Barricade said to Prowl as he glanced up to see Starscream's smirk shortly before he let loose a shot that wiped the smile off his faceplate.

Megatron had been anticipating this and opened fire at his enforcer who dodged enough to barely miss the shot as another hit him in the back plates. He turned to find Prowl firing at him while fighting the vehicons that were standing at the spacebridge control's. Megatron let loose a growl as another's servo hit him in the helm.

"I will make you watch as I offline her you traitor." Megatron sneered as he rounded on his ex-enforcer.

x

x

"Come on open damn it!" Mercy growled as she fought with Sam's shackles the key wasn't wanting to work. She cheered as the lock finally opened and she shoved him toward the blue and white mech that was now currently defending the controls. "Go I'll get the girl!" She yelled at him and Anna.

She ran towards

the dark haired girl who had just gotten to her feet and was limping _away _from them. "Hey!"

x

x

Zeke's leg was broken, and she had finally gotten to her feet when she heard Starscream growl behind her. She glanced among the chaos until her eyes lit up on a welcome sight and she quickly began to limp towards red haired woman was running towards her yelling at her but she couldn't stop at this point. Starscream had spotted her and was heading in her direction as well.

x

x

Barricade, currently engaged in fighting Megatron didn't see the Dorito-shaped mech slowly crawl back to his pedes, energon seeping from the wound in his chest plates. Starscream's optics lit up on the limping femme. when she stumbled he lunged for her just as the adult femme reached her. Barricade's fleshling gave a small cry as the claws of his servo pierce her soft flesh, warm blood leaking into his servo as he tightened his grip.

"NO!" The other femme yelled grabbing at the girl. She missed and a gripped on something the girl had in her arms. Whatever it was slipped free and the other femme fell to the floor as the girl shouted for her to run. The femme starred at the item in her sevro before cursing and turning tail, weaving around the bots that were fighting.

"Not so tough are you now _girl._" Starscream grinned as he brought the fleshlng to his optic level.

"Fuck you Star_bitch." _the fleshling spat with a grin as Starscream noticed the grenade in her arms.

"Grenade!" Starscream yelped before tossing both weapon and girl at Megatron and Barricade. Barricade's optics widened as he watched Zeke throw the grenade in Megatron's direction as she flew at the two of them. He ducked under Megatron's servo and dived for the girl catching her and spinning on heel to run for the now open ground bridge.

Prowl ran through the portal as soon as he noticed the other enforcer running for the portal, leaving a present on the console. Barricade ran through the portal as the grenade went off successfully destroying the ground bridge. He landed hard into the dirt, Zeke let out a weak whimper from the impact from inside his gently curled servos.

Zeke smiled weakly up at Barricade as he opened his servos. Her eyes glossy, her skin ashen, her breathing restrained. "Did we do it?" she asked a tear running to mingle with he blood that was pooling in his palm.

"Y-yes..." Barricade said quietly his vocalizer choking as he tried to reign in his emotions.

"Thank you Cade..." Zeke said breathlessly as she fought to draw the air in.

"Ezekiel..."

"Zeke!" Sam yelled as Barricade lowered her to the ground. "Zeke good lord..."

"Catch you all later then..." She said closing her eyes.

"ZEKE!" Sam cried as her chest fell and didn't rise again.


	24. Chapter 23: Emotions

Sorry about the delay, but I've been having net and computer problems... but I think I might have finally figured it out. Anywho enough about that, how about we get on with the disclaimer and the story...

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

Speech key

_Thoughts_

_:Commlink :_

**Cybertonian**

* * *

Chapter 23: Emotions

x

x

x

_:Prowl to Optimus.:_

Optimus who had been in the middle of trying to plan a coup froze at the sound of his tactician's weary comlink. :Prowl?_ When did you make planetfall?:_

_:I have been held captive on the Nemesis for the greater part of a vorn. I have escaped with some assistance from the decepticon enforcer Barricade with the three remaining humans intact. Both Barricade and I will require medical aid. Sending coordinates.:_

Optimus mused when he noted where the coordinates were. :We're twenty minutes out. Do the cons know where you are?:

_:I am uncertain. However we have successsfully crippled the ground bridge on the Nemesis. However that does not mean that Soundwave does not have our whereabouts.:_

Optimus relayed his new information to the 'war council'.

x

x

x

Sam stared numbly at his cousin who lay there motionless on the ground, his mind torn between grief and guilt. A hand wrapped itself on his shoulder and he found himself looking up at the red haired woman before she gave him a hug.

Mercy held him as he broke down, crying into her shoulder. She held the weeping man as she tried to comfort him. Eventually after ten minutes of crying, Sam composed himself a little and went beck to silently blaming well... everything.

"Don't repress yourself." Mercy said silently as he turned away. "If you bottle your emotions your just going to stew until you snap."

"... Why do you care?"

"Depression is a dark place... Say something for her..."

"... Are you serious?"

"Fine then I will." Mercy sighed as she gazed at the color filled sky. "Let us not mourn her but remember the life she lived on this fair day and weep not the loss of this bright light we have lost. Remember her with smiles and love, not tears and despair, for she has moved on to a better place. One without pain, one without sorrow, one where she will forever alight your heart and may guide over you all throughout the rest of your days until you shall meet again."

Sam blinked at the woman's eulogy as her words carried in the wind to calm his reeling mind. The sorrow was still there but he could see that she was right... even if he just wanted to breakdown and cry. "Great, I had to get kidnapped with a nun."

Anna snorted. "Mercy isn't a nun... Though that sounded familiar..."

"It's the eulogy I read for your mother's funeral." Mercy said quietly before the sound of engines cut into the twilight.

x

x

x

"Good morning sunshine." Oliver snarked when he noticed Blues optics onlining. The mech let out a stiff chuckle as he sat up on the berth to smile over at his little brother, who was sitting on the lab counter to his right. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than I have in a long while."

"That would be because we've actually gotten some proper energon into you. I swear... What were you fueling on? That cheap 87 slag?" Jolt asked from where he was working on Sunstreaker's shoulder. The golden mech was in a light stasis.

"Well I'm sorry but we were trying to preserve the funds I had acquired for both me and Oliver to live off of. Things weren't the best but we made do. Especially since Oliver has to keep under the radar and whatnot being a runaway and-"

"BLUE!" Oliver yelled stopping Blue's rambling. "They don't need to know that!"

"Runaway?" Jolt 's blue optics focused on the boy. His scans showed the boy's stress level had risen.

"Yeah what of it? I ain't goin' back and dere ain't nothin' you nor them military bastards can do to make me go back to them bastards." Oliver spat venomously as he shook with a mixture of fear and rage.

Blue onlined his holoform and hugged the shivering boy. "Oliver. I won't let them send you back. Don't think of _them_, please. I shouldn't have opened my mouth plates and I'm sorry."

_:He's a runaway?:_

Bluestreak vented a sigh before nodding at Jolt. _:It's complicated... He was being tortured by his mech creator and his siblings when we met... I pulled him from that mess and I won't let him go back to it.:_

_:You will have to inform Optimus of the situation with the boy.:_

_:You don't think I don't know that? I just haven't figured out quite how to explain it... Besides Oliver is terrified that the military will force him to go back. He's only seventeen and until he's eighteen his people will insist on him being either returned or sent to a foster home... Am I rambling again?: _Blue glared up as Jolt's optics dimmed for a second.

_:Yes and no. Ratchet just informed me that the humans the decepticons had are safe and are with two injured mechs.:_

"Hey Ollie guess what? Anna and Mercy is safe!" Blue told the boy with a grin. "How about we go tell Torri the good news?"

Oliver blinked at his holoform for a minute before smiling. "Sure, but you're gonna havta carry me or she might knock me out for not followin' her orders."

"Then come on." Blue said as he dismissed the holoform and scooped the boy up in his servos.

x

x

x

Barricade stared at the femme as she brushed aside a tear that had slipped down the side of her face. Her words striking a cord in his spark, bringing him out of the guilt his processor was reeling over. Words so wise for one so small...

The sounds of bots transforming behind him and the heat of a cannon greeted his back plates. _Do it... you'd be doing me a favor... _he was so tempted to say before there was a soft metallic clunk.

"Oi Cujo you'd better not shoot him!" Barricade turned to see the woman glaring up at the black mech defiance written in her stance. Ironhide narrowed his optics at the femme as Prime ordered him to stand down. _This femme is either mentally defunct or actually sincere... _Barricade eyed her.

"Barricade." Barricade flinched at the sound of Prime's voice as the mech came to stand behind him. "Prowl tells me you are the one to thank for saving both him and the humans."

"Don't thank me, not for this." the mustang said quietly as he glanced towards Zeke. "Prime, I consent to being your prisoner. Unless you will just allow your weapon's specialist to offline me like I know he wants to."

"Just give me a reason." Ironhide growled.

"You shoot him you'll have to shoot me and trust me I'll haunt you till the end of your days McShootem's!" Mercy growled at him. Ironhide stared at her for a minute before walking off a ways grumbling about psychotic femmes.

The woman likewise stalked over to her kin grumbling about trigger happy trucks. _She's insane. _Barricade decided as the Autobot Medic came over and began taking inventory of his wounds.

x

x

Mercy snickered as Anna tried to escape her father's bear hug/bodily inspection.

"I'm fine dad..." Anna squirmed under his scrutiny. "But if you keep it up I might pass out from the lack of air..."

"I was so damned worried... Oh God I fucked up so bad... I should have never have forced you out of my life... This is my fault." Will whispered as he clung her to him tightly.

"You did what you thought was best... And as Torri says, Shit happens. It's not like you could predict that this would happen. No one knows what the future holds." Anna said giving up trying to escape, but then her eyes lit up on Mercy. "I just got lucky that Mercy got kidnapped with me... Maybe you should go thank her."

Mercy's eyes widened as the soldier smiled and looked over at her. "Don't you dare think about it... No... No!" Mercy dodged out of his oncoming embrace. "I said no!"

"Oh come now Merc what's one little hug?" Will grinned as he tried to tackle her. He landed on the ground, with her laughing at him before he snaked a hand around her ankle and pulled her down.

"Cheater. I'll get you for that." Mercy grumbled as she elbowed him in the side and got to her feet. "You know full well now is not the time for this shit."

"She's right. We need to get back to base before the decpticons do manage to trace the coordinates to the ground bridge." Optimus said as she glanced over to the battered enforcers. **Are you two able to transform?**

**Yes. **Prowl said, while Barricade nodded his reply as Ratchet finished the temporary repairs.

**I'd prefer them to wait but the patches I did should hold them until we get them to my med bay. **Ratchet grumbled before he reverted to his altmode.

"Right then let's roll out." Optimus ordered.

x

xx

x

Mercy and Annabelle were tackled the instant they were at the base by Blue and Oliver. Torri was standing with her arms crossed as she smiled at her twin trying to escape the embrace. "I see you still live." she smirked as Mercy broke free.

"Oh yeah just throw my words back at me. And if must quote you 'Well I couldn't just pop off and leave the world to suffer you.'" Mercy said as Torri latched on to her with a crushing hug.

"I was so damned worried." Torri fought to keep her voice steady. "It should have been me those bastards took not you."

"Oh yes because you could handle the whole giant metal alien thing oh so well." Mercy snorted.

A throat cleared beside them drawing them out of their embrace to find Will smirking at the two of them. "I hate to break up your reunion but I'm afraid I have some paperwork for the lot of you to fill out..."

Mercy groaned as he led them away from the hangar.

x

x

Blue watched as the humans were led out of the room before dismissing his holoform. He stretched out his alt as he glanced around at the bother bots in the room. They had been using private coms, so Blue could only guess at their emotions...

The group surrounding Prime thinned enough that he caught sight of blue and white doorwings. "Prowl!" He cheered rushing over and shoving his way to his brother. "Sweet Primus it is you! I've missed you so much! What the slag happened to you?!" Blue asked when the older mech finally let out a hiss. of pain from being squeezed to tight.

"Nice to see you too little brother." Prowl said with the barest hints of a smile on his face plates.


	25. Chapter 24: Sleepless

Another day off a new chapter! Yays! SO for those of you reading this there is a side story to this one titled The Reason She Left featuring Mikaela. Not saying too much more because I don't want to interrupt either of the plotlines by dropping any spoilers...

Many thanks to those that are reading this. Special kudos to Answerthecall for reviewing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

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Chapter 24: Sleepless

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Torri was finally asleep for the first time in days... Which meant that Mercy was awake and staring at the ceiling unable to sleep due to the nightmares that plagued her sister. How the woman managed to sleep through them she'd probably never know... With an irritated growl Mercy finally crawled out of the cot that they had supplied her Annabelle, and Torri each their own with, and made her way out of their room.

The base was relatively quiet seeing as it was roughly three in the morning. If it wasn't for the occasional person passing her with large cups of coffee in their hands she would have believed herself to be the only one awake.

She finally asked where she could procure the liquid gold and made her way into the quiet cafeteria. The kitchen was dark. and there were only a couple of soldiers lingering. She felt their eyes light up on her as she made her way over to the counter and poured her coffee.

"You're new here aren't you?" Mercy's grip tightened on the coffee pot as she steeled herself from reacting to the closeness of the soldier that had snuck up behind her.

"Yes I am. Now could you stop invading my personal bubble?" She smiled sweetly at him.

"I can't help that I'm magnetically attracted to you..."

"Back off or you'll be picking glass out of your burned flesh." Mercy said icily, still keeping the smile. When he finally stepped back she finally let go of the decanter and walked away.

"Oooh Burn!"

"Haha! She told your ass Michael!"

"Oh shut up." She heard him growl at his comrades as she made her way out of the cafeteria. She made her way out on to the tarmac somehow... knowing she'd regret it later on... But the view was breath taking. The pre-twilight grey edged the black sky, peppered with more stars than she had seen in a long time... and over heard a blood-red half hidden moon peered down at the earth below.

"An eclipse..." she breathed as she made her way off of the tarmac. After about twenty minutes of walking she found a path that led away from the harsh lights of the runway finally finding as place to sit she slipped her shoes off and sat, and began counting the constellations.

x

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_"I really hope that you don't go to Shockwave... I would love to... Experiment on you myself..." a clawed servo ran down her side... she shivered from the contact._

_"Go screw yourself." she spat..._

_"How about I frag you instead?"_

Annabelle sat up in her bed. Sweat plastered her hair to her face. As she tried to calm her thundering heart. She shuddered as the remnant of the dream plagued her mind... She shuddered again and almost regretting not telling her family the monsters intentions... She didn't want to even think about it... Tears threatened her eyes as she grit her teeth angrily.

_Screw it I'm not going to get any sleep tonight..._ she thought as she threw the sheet off and slipped her shoes on.

X

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Blue stared up at the ceiling panels of his berthroom. It had been a happy evening he had followed Prowl to the med bay and told him all that his brother had missed since they had been split up with their separate missions back on Cybertron.

He had just gotten to the part about his planetfall when Prowl asked him kindly (In his monotonous orderly way) to write a report. It was then that he noted that Jazz was dying to get the chance to talk to Prowl. Blue sheepishly bowed his head and bid his brother a fare recharge before ducking out of the med bay.

Despite how good the evening had been he couldn't recharge. He hadn't gotten the chace to explain Oliver's predicament, and he still was unsure how to breach the subject... Especially with his brother here... He loved his sibling with all of his spark... but even Bluestreak would admit that his brother was a stickler for laws of any kind... And he knew that his brother would most likely glitch once he discovers Oliver's run away status...

He vented a sigh and decided to get up.

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Annabelle had managed to make her way to the rec room with little problem and was sitting at a table minding her own business when a hand came down on her shoulder.

"You look bored." she almost gagged at the smell of alcohol on the mans breath. _I thought they weren't supposed to have alcohol on base..._

"Nope. I'm perfectly fine..." _if you don't breathe on me again..._

"Are you sure a sweet little thing like you must be bored being up this late..." he leaned in closer to breathe into her ear.

"Please let go of me." Anna gagged. His grip tightened.

"Come on sweet cheeks don't be like that..."

"Let. Go. Of. Me." she growled.

The soldier chuckled at the steel in her voice. "No sense being sh-argh!"

Anna scrambled to her feet as she turned to face the soldier shaking off the pain in her knuckles. "I told you to let me go. you should have listened dumbass."

"Why you little bitch!" the soldier growled as he picked himself up off of the floor. "I just wanted a taste of that sweet-"

"Is everything alright here?" Blue's voice growled darkly behind the man.

The soldier glanced back to see the mech glaring at him. "This isn't none of your damned business."

"Listen to me well. You have ten seconds to vacate this area before I personally make you regret the actions you've chosen to do tonight. And let me tell you, this young woman clearly wants nothing to do with you. And for the record you have three seconds left."

The man bolted.

Blue glared at the man until he exited the room before turning his eyes back towards Annabelle. "Are you okay Anna?"

"Um... yeah..." she shifted uncomfortably as she blushed.

"Are you sure? Cause I can totally go beat the slag outta guy if he did anything to you-"

"No Blue I'm fine." she shook her head before blinking up at his armor. "So this is what you really look like..."

His face plates darkened lightly as he turned his helm away, rubbing a hand to the back of it. "Um yeah... I'm sorry fo not getting to tell you before now... I just didn't want to freak you out or anything... Um..."

_Is... is he blushing? I think he is... _Anna blinked up at him. _But... why...?_

"Shouldn't you be in bed Anna?"

"The same could be said for you." she countered.

"True..."

"So... what is your full designation then? It can't just be Blue."

He grinned. "It's Bluestreak."

She glanced him over again before shaking her head. "Now there's an oxymoron if there ever was..."

Blue blinked. "Why would you say that?"

"There isn't a lick of blue anywhere on you."

"Oh really?" he leaned down to put his optics to her eye level. "But what of my eyes?"

Anna stared into the blue of his optics for a long moment caught by the intensity of that piercing blue before she blinked. "Fine I'll give you a point for that."

"Ha. I win that round."

"Yeah but I'm still beating you by like what twenty points?"

"Roughly... Though I did make up some of those up when I took you shopping for homecoming..." He winced as her eyes darkened and she let out a sigh. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought it up.. Primus knows I really suffer from pede-in-the-mouth syndrome at the worse times and-"

"It's... okay Blue. Besides I didn't really want to be paraded around strapped in that torture device they call a dress anyways."

"But it's such a beautiful dress... It looked really... well... um... nice on you." He was blushing again.

"Yeah and imagine just how many jocks would have been drooling over me? Please I'd rather be plunked into the middle Lake Michigan in that dress than to swim in their slobber. Besides, it turns out that my aunts had orders from my farther to stay under the radar. I'm sure getting my name in the paper for homecoming court would have just ousted us sooner... At least now I know why they wouldn't let me do any online media junk..."

"You realize I still have your dress and your text books still right?" He said as he pulled her belongings out of his subspace.

"How..."

"You left it in my altmode right before you shot me in the face."

Annabelle flushed at the memory. "Sorry about that... but you have to admit that I owed you for pinning me in the yard a few weeks back."

"Yeah that's what you said when you got my avatar in the back with th ak47 in Call Of Duty last week..."

"Hm... did I? Then let's settle this the good old fashioned way." she pointed at the huge television.

"Oh it is so on..." Blue grinned.


	26. Chapter 25: Seeking Solutions

It's a long chapter! Whoo! but I had to get all this mush out of my poor head... Especially since I realized that I had began to write the same notes down in my note book at work XD. Of course, Parts of this were derived from a combination of sunstroke and not sitting down for the better part of 17 hours doing some volunteer for my works Relay For Life Team this past weekend. Man my legs HURT.

Anywho On to the Thanks and Disclaimer.

Many Many Thanks to everyone that is reading this especially those of you that are Fave/Following this story. And extra special kudos to Answerthecall for reviewing!

Disclaimer: I don't Transformers.

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Chapter 25: Seeking Solutions

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"**I'm what?!**"

Will rubbed his temples as he stared at Mercy and Torri over his desk. Bothe of the women, Both at the current moment identical right down to their chestnut colored hair and the venomous green glared they were giving him, to the borrowed army clothes.

"**What do you mean we're dead?**"

"Okay between official police reports and the damage control you two have been officially declared legally dead for your own protection."

"What the hell Will? Are you insane? You have no idea how hard it was to get where we were! We had just paid off the house-"

"Which was destroyed."

"Thanks Torri That's wonderful news..." Mercy spat. "And what about my garage? Hell I had fifteen thousand in the safe at my shop alone! Not to mention that 1954 Etsel that I was rebuilding for Anna's Seventeenth birthday present! Damn it what in the blue blazes ever happened to my charger for that matter?! You realize that's the better part of a hundred thousand right there alone that I doubt Uncle Sam's going to pay me back!"

Torri sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "What about me? I was Chief Resident at the hospital. It took me three years to convince those bastards that I was capable of performing my job despite my disability. And that was only after I threatened to sue them for discrimination because they were trying to say that I was unable to do my chosen profession. Now thanks to this mess my credentials are junk. After all what _dead _woman can work in the medical field without being called a fraud."

"That's it I'm going to kill him! Give me your gun."

"Mercy you don't want to do that now do you? If you must kill him couldn't you just poison him with your cooking or something?"

"But that's the merciful way out. I want it to be slow and painful."

Will smiled weakly before clearing his throat, cringing slightly as their green gazes turned back to him. "I do have some good news..."

"Pray tell because right now might be a good time to pacify Mercy." Torrri said with slight grin at her plotting sister.

"Well first off here." Will said handing Torri a file. Torri frowned at it and took it from him. She opened it gingerly before tensing.

Mercy was too into her plotting to notice what was going on until Torri went rigid. "Torri?"

"... Y-you can be serious." Torri finally said he voice breaking slightly.

"What? What is it?" Mercy said as she pulled the file from Torri's slack fingers. Her eyes widened as she read the file.

"Welcome under my command Lieutenant Colonel Torrine Hawkins." Will said a grin.

"B-but my disability-"

"Is of no problem so long as you are strictly the on base human Medic."

"But Wentauker is-"

"More than capable of going into the field, plus he is more than willing to relinquish the medical duties over to you since he is more skilled in the psychiatric field."

Torri blinked at Will. "But..."

"Torri just say thank you already." Mercy nudged her slightly.

Torri blinked over at her sister before looking back at Will. "Thanks... I mean thank you Sir! This is the best thing I think that you have said all day."

"It gets better." Will said holding up another file and handed it to Mercy who scowled at him.

"What is this?"

"Aren't you going to open it?"

"No." Mercy said as she handed it over to Torri who opened the folder. "Because I have a nasty feeling that I'm being shanghaied into working for you."

"Wow a Petty Officer from the get go. Congrats Mercy." Torri said with a whistle.

"And I'm right. You son of a bitch!" She growled as she stood up from her seat. "What makes you think I want to stay _here_ fixing your pieces of army shit?!" She let loose a growl and stormed out of the office.

"Mercy!"

"Mercy come back and let him finish." Torri followed her twin out, with Will on her heels.

"Screw you both!" Mercy snapped back at them. "I am not a fucking soldier and I refuse to dance to your god dammed tune! Nor am I going to waste my time fixing shit that is broken straight from the fucking manufacturing line!"

"Oh come on Mercy you do that all the time."

"Yeah for people that actually need my help fixing their cars, with normal people around not sexually repressed grunts! The worse I had to deal with was that weird french hairdresser who still flirted with me despite his being flamboyantly gay!"

Torri sighed and fixed her with a stare.

"Don't you give me that damned look! There is no way I am _ever _calling him _sir!_" Mercy growled.

"And so the truth comes out."

"Oh go take a leap into the nearest body of water and drown there!" Mercy growled.

"You'd miss me too much." Torri countered.

"Mercy..."Will started as he put a hand on her shoulder bringing her to a stop. "You can't go back to that life unprotected. Especially since the cons know about you guys."

"Get your hand off of me now William." Mercy growled.

"Look think of it this way you, Annabelle, and Torri will be safe here. Not to mention I've basically given you a sta-aahg!" Will groaned from his new position on the floor, where Mercy had thrown him. Mercy placed a foot on his chest as she leaned down to glared at him.

"That is the _only_ benefit from this whole damned mess. The only reason that I'm even considering this _job_ is because my sister is here, my niece is here. But do note this I will _never _bow to your authority because I will never forgive you for the misery you have inadvertently wrought on my family." Mercy ground her boot on his chest before removing it and storming out of the room.

Will groaned as he sat up to realize that they were in the main hanger by this point. _Damn that woman moves fast..._ "Where did she learn how to throw a guy?"

"She was best friends with few of the local guys on the police department back home. Old George probably taught her that though. She would never charge him to fixed that damned squad car of his." Torri said as she rubbed her temples. "Even after the damned engine block dropped out and nearly crushed her."

"Right..." Will said shaking his head. Torri held out her hand for him. He took it only to find himself in a tight hug.

"Thank you again Will. I know that she is madder than hell at you right now but she'll get over it."

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"OH COME ON!"

"Face it Oliver I beat you fair and square."

"Damn that blue tortoise shell!"

Blue grinned down at Oliver who stuck his tongue out. "Wanna go another round?"

"I would love to but my pride will finish shriveling up and dying if I I must go 0-25 with you." Oliver sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "Besides we've been at this for hours..."

"Well after what happened and what I did yesterday I figured I'd try to keep your mind off of the bad stuff and let you have some fun... Besides I still have to figure out a decent way to bring it up with the big man if you get me drift and whatnot. Honestly Oliver-"

"Blue."

"I was at it again wasn't I?"

Oliver sighed. "Blue I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about Oliver. I've just got to bite the bullet and get it over with at some point or another before Prowl is released from Med Bay."

"Wha about ol Prowler?"

Blue cringed as soon as he heard the sabator's voice and turned his helm praying that Jazz was alone.

"Hello." Oliver smiled at the silver mech.

"'ey there lil man. Da name's Jazz. And wha's your name kiddo?"

"Oliver." The red head said as he stood and stretched his legs, wincing at the slight sting in his legs and the ache his ribs put up.

"You know if Torri catches you standing on your feet again-"

"Yeah yeah Mother Hen I know just what that psycho doctor will do." Oliver sighed. "But I can't just sit still either so she can just bite me." Oliver sighed as he sat back down. "So Jazz do ya wanna join me and Blue in a round of Mario cart?"

Blue shook his head. "I thought you were tired of getting beat."

"Yeah by just you. My pride can't take anymore solitary abuse." Oliver grinned.

A few more rounds later, Oliver's luck was nil to none. He groaned about something about the possibility of them hacking the game under his breath as he flopped back onto the couch.

"You're just a sore loser Oliie."

"Bite me Blue. Just bite me." Oliver groaned as Blue chuckled at him.

"So kid how'd ya meet the chatterbox?" Jazz finally asked as he watched the brotherly interaction between the two.

"..." Oliver flinched at the question. He let out a low sigh as he sat up. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Jazz turned his visored helm towards Blue who merely shook his helm. _:It's not a good subject to bring up right now.:_

_:May Ah ask why?:_

_:I don't want to upset Oliver. I didn't spend the whole morning distracting him only to bring up painful memories and his worries. It's bad enough I have to talk to Prime before my brother is released from med bay, about Oliver and-:_

_:Blue. Would ya like me ta take da boy to get some fuel? It'd give you a chance to go talk to Optimus.: _Jazz asked successfully stopping Blue before he could go into a full ramble.

"Hey kid would ya like to grab a refuel with me?" Jazz asked.

Oliver glanced at Blue who almost had a pleading look in his optics. Oliver minutely raised his brow before shrugging. "I could use some grub. 'Sides I gotta choke down my next round of painkillers. Catch ya later Blue?"

"Of course." Blue grinned as Jazz put his servo down so that Oliver could climb into it.

"Lord I'll never get used to this..." Oliver commented as Jazz started out of the rec room.

"Sure you will."

"Right..."

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Sam poked his head into Will's office. "Hey you wanted to see me?"

"Come in." Will said waving him in. "How are you doing?"

"... I've been better. I called my parents earlier to explain to them about Zeke..."

"I am sorry for you loss Sam. I know how it is to lose family to the Decepticons..."

"It's just hard to believe all of the shit that went down... Who would have thought that they were using humans as spies?"

"Not many. Not many... I know I'm going to have to put this in a report.. but I don't want to because when the higher ups find out the shit's going to hit the fan."

"Tell me about it. I wouldn't be surprised if the fanatics didn't jump to the conclusion that the Autobots were using us."

"Exactly my point." Will sighed as he rubbed his temples. "Anyway that's not really why I called you here. Since your S.O. is deceased you have been assigned the position of Liaison for the Autobots by General Morshower and myself. About damn time too if you ask me. Mearing was a real witch, and Galloway... yuck."

"You didn't spend the last couple of years being her personal coat rack." Sam grinned.

"True." Will sifted through the papers on his desk until he found a set of three envelopes. He pulled the top one off. "I also go this for you as well."

Sam took the envelope, an glanced at handwriting on the front and went stiff. After staring at the envelope for several minutes he sighed before just tossing it into the trash.

"You're seriously not going to read it?"

"Why should I? She has some gall writing me after all this time don't you think?"

Will sighed. "Sam maybe you should-"

"No. Will why should I even _think _about her after she what she did? She tore out my heart and handed it to me on the very day I _proposed_ to her!"

Will raised a brow. "Very well then. She did write two more letters, One addressed to me and one addressed to Bumblebee." Will opened his letter and read it aloud.

_Dear Will,_

_I know that I haven't spoken to any of you guys in such a long time... And I know I probably have no right to even ask but I need your help. I need to speak with Sam as soon as possible. I know what I did to him was wrong and irreparable but I must talk to him the sooner the better. I know the he might never forgive me and might very well hate me, but I need to find some closure... and I believe that speaking to him in person is the only way I can do this._

_M. Banes._

_P.S. I am sending a copy of this letter to Bee as well._

"..." Sam glared at the trash can with such intensity that if it were possible it would have burst into flames...

"Sam... She doesn't want anything more than to apologize to you from the sound of things. Maybe you should consider going to see her."

The younger man sighed as he ran a hand through his short cropped curls. "I'm sorry Will but if you'll excuse me, I've got a funeral to plan." Sam said curtly as he buried the emotions that had began to stir and walked out the door.

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Optimus was fully aware of the young bot pacing back and forth in front of his office door. He had been doing this for the better part of a breem. _Is he going to come in or not? _Optimus let out a sigh before getting up and opening the door to stare down at Bluestreak who was muttering to himself.

"Is there something I can help you with Bluestreak?"

The smaller bot jumped at his inquiry. "Uh hi Prime um... Well I kind of have a problem, well more like two problems which are one big problem in the end and I'm not quite sure how to explain it without making it sound awful in one way or-"

"Come in Bluestreak."


	27. Chapter 26: Forget Someting?

Sorry for the delay, I had a wicked head cold for the better part of a week and then when it was just getting better I went and twisted my fricken ankle on a **rock** of all things... Of course me, having lightly injured myself in the past figured "ah I'll walk it off." and finished walking to work and worked the whole day like that only to realize how stupid it was and went to the doctor to find out I actually sprained the bloody thing _and_ my foot to boot. SO I've spent the last week in a drug induced sleep betwixt the cold meds and the pain pills... But I finally finished the chapter I kept dozing off in the middle of writing! And to think I freaked when the computer decided to reboot in the middle of the night when I passed out on it!

Ah babbling... Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers

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Chapter 26: Forget Something?

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Bluestreak twitched nervously as the Prime mulled over Oliver's story. He began to mess with his comm lines to check in with Jazz about the boy in question when he had remembered that he was using the wrong channel when...

_:Hello... Calling any autobots... answer your slagging com...:_

Blue jumped as he recognized the voice. _:Eject? Wow it's been forever since I've heard from you! How are you doing? Are you on the base 'cause I haven't seen you yet... Is Blaster here-:_

_:For the love of Primus let me get a word in Bluestreak!:_ the minibot's ire radiated through the com lines.

_:... Sorry.:_ Blue apologized as he glanced back at Optimus who was watching him with curiosity in his optics.

_:Why in the slag has it taken so long for one of you to answer me?!: _Eject snapped at him_._

_:Um... Jazz and Prime told me not to use this comm frequency because they were worried that the con's might be monitoring this line? I was just about to switch over to the-:_

"Bluestreak...?"

"Sorry Optimus, I was just going to com Jazz to check on Oliver, when I caught Eject on the old comm frequency and-"

_:Give me the right frequency!:_ Eject interrupted his current ramble.

"Eject?! When did he make planetfall?"

_:Okay okay pushy...: _Blue sent him the info. "Ask him yourself, he should be commig you soon." Blue said as he noticed the prime's eyes dimmed slightly as he started to comm with Eject. Blue took this as his chance to escape.

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"This is perfect." Oliver grinned as he stared at the computer screen. "Granted I'm sure it was like a pity win or something with the way they're makin it sound like they're dedicating it to her but still.."

Jazz's holoform smirked. "Ah tol ya I was good at findin stuff."

"I'd say. This'll make Annie's day for sure. 'secially since I'm fairly sure that she done forgot what today is with all the stuff that went down."

"Today? Wha's so special bout today?"

"Oooh look at that sour face..." Oliver snickered at the picture of the runner up. "I bet she was pi-issed."

"Ollie! There you are I've been all over the base looking for you and Jazz." Blue cheered as he came over to where they were standing

"... Why didn't you use your comm link thingy to just ask Jazz where we were?"

"Well I kinda figured that you'd still be in the cafeteria but when I didn't find you there I kinda just started to look around for ya. figured I could familiarize myself with the base some more since I didn't get a good look around yesterday being stuck in the med bay for most of the day. Hey whatchya looking at?"

_:Jazz.: _Optimus commed Jazz drawing his attention from Bluestreak and his charge.

_:Yeah O.P. Wha's up?:_

_:I need you in my office.:_

Jazz sighed. "Looks like I gotta go see the boss bot. Have fun you two."

"Hey Blue wanna help me finish that project that Mercy gave us?"

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Mercy was glaring at the massive convection oven when Torri finally found her. The doctor shook her head and came to stand next to her twin. "Why would it figure that I'd find you making cupcakes?"

"I'm actually baking a cake. There's too many soldiers her for me to make enough cupcakes for, and if I'm going to kill my wrist it's going to be on something worth while. Considering it's most likely going to be inhaled. The cook-" She pointed back to a man who was tending to a soup of sorts who waved an errant hand at the mention of him. "-told me that the Autobot medic would probably glitch if he found out I was making a cake. Told me it was my own funeral."

"... I'll make sure to stay out of the way when he does kill you." Torri sighed as she patted her sister on the back.

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Annabelle was sitting against a wall in the main hanger numbly watching everyone go about their business. Her thoughts scattered and torn in several directions...

She was still mulling over the fact that her life had changed, for the better or worse only god knew. Torri had found her earlier and explained their legal status, that their home was destroyed... Funny considering that this wasn't the first time her life had been uprooted. The only true thing she had decided that was a true loss, was the photographs of her mother that she'd never see again... all she had left was her mother's wedding ring.

Her thoughts turned to the decepticons and the nightmares that were plaguing her. She knew that she was safe now and that the bastard mech would more than likely never get a hold of her unless they had a death wish...

And her mind drifted to Blue... Her face flushed red as she burried her head in her arms as she fought to reason with the irritatingly annoying augmented feelings she had... He was her friend... He was funny and charming... hell she had admitted that she had found his holoform appealing... but once she found out that he wasn't human... There was no way he could like her...

_Why couldn't life just be simple? _she groaned inwardly.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Anna looked up to find Oliver grinning at her. "You wouldn't want to waste your money." she returned the grin. "They're pretty much crap at this point."

"Need to talk it out?"

"..." Anna sighed as he sat next to her. "I'm just contemplating things as they are."

Oliver nodded his head. "Not sure what's the futures going to hold for you because everything you knew and had you'll have to rebuild and do all over? Trust me I know the feeling."

"The worst thing is that this isn't the first time this has happened to me..."

"I know how that goes too. The only thing I can say is that at least we're still kicking. Shucks that's the first thing I thank God for everyday, that and that he blessed me with what he has given me. Sure we've got to start over from scratch, but you don't have to do it alone."

Annabelle sighed and let his words sink in slowly before saying, "I guess you're right."

"Damn straight I'm right chickie. Now tell me girl, what have you forgotten?"

Anna blinked at his question. "What?"

"You've forgotten somethin and I'm here to remind ya."

"Oliver, What are you going on about? I haven't forgotten any-" a small bow topped box appeared in her view. "-thing..."

The shit eating grin on his face grew wider as her eyes widened. "Do ya remember now?"

"I... I can't believe I forgot..." Anna stammered as she blushed.

"Well that was the plan... well not the whole getting kidnapped bit. But Mercy put me up to convincin your team mates to help me get you elected for homecoming queen. That way you'd be so flustered that you wouldn't even notice that your birthday was the next day... also so that she could sneak your new ride into the garage that night."

"... You're still a jerk." she said elbowing him in the ribs, earning a pained squeak from him. "Crap I'm sorry I forgot!"

"It's... okay..." Oliver wheezed as he lightly rubbed his sore ribs. "Besides Jazz helped me find this for ya." he pulled out a piece of paper. He opened it and held it up for her to read.

"You're kidding me. I get killed off and I still beat the ice witch?!"


	28. Chapter 27: 'Cade

New chapter! Yay... So I was sitting here trying to work on The Reason She Left but my muse decided 'What happened to Barricade?" and so here we are... a in between chapter all for him...

Disclaimer: I don't own Transfomers.

Many thanks to everyone reading at this point in time. And of course a million and one Thanks to Answerthecall for reviewing!

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Chapter 27: 'Cade

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x

"You want me to do what?" Neal stared at Ratchet over his glasses.

The CMO vented irritably. as he grit his denta. "As you are well aware Barricade was a Decepticon. We haven't been able to get him to say more than that he is no longer with the Decepticons. Prowl has vouched for him but there are others that are still wary of him because of his past. Not to mention his position in the most recent skirmish with the Cons."

"So... you want me to go rooting around in his head for details? Did you forget that he has been around Soundwave? What makes you think that I'll be able to get the information any better than you could with a cortical patch?"

"Well for one I doubt he'll be expecting an interrogation from a human." Neal scoffed at his terminology. "And second, I'd rather not go through his head. Besides... he appears to be grieving for Samuel's cousin. And-"

"And because I'm a shrink you think I might be able to get to him."

"Yes."

Neal sighed.

x

x

Barricade was trying his best to ignore the human sitting on the counter near his berth in the med bay. The man was just staring at him expectantly, and it was beginning to creep out the ex Con.

"If you would just talk to me I'd leave you be." the grey haired man sighed.

"I don't have to explain myself to you or anyone else."

Neal 'Xelan' Wentauker grit his teeth irritably. "Look... they sent me in here to ask you the same stupid questions that they've already asked you before. I can't help it if the Autobots are being cautious. You were their enemy for eons after all."

"And I told them the same thing I'm telling you human. I left the Decepticons. That should be enough for them."

"I know but they still want details." Neal said as he crossed his arms. The mech said nothing as he glared at the fleshling. *_... Fine be that way. I will admit I'm sorry that you've forced me to do this.*_

Barricade's optics widened as he realized that the human who had not spoken the last part aloud... There was a slight pressure in his processors, and with a small cry his recent memory files were flashing before his optics...

_x_

_x_

_It had to be fate. He thought mirthfully as he raced his newly repaired frame towards the Decpticon's base. Who would have thought that he would have to good fortune to be able to find a cousin of Ladiesman217? Granted she did find _him_ first but the fact of the matter was that Primus had given him a gift, and he was going to take it if it meant that he could get in Megatron's or at least Starscream's good graces..._

_x_

_x_

_"Why don't you try to escape?"_

_Zeke blinked at the question as she looked up from her position on the floor to his holoform. The Decepticon had been watching her for over twenty minutes with the odd look of curiosity and confusion on his face. _

_"Why should I bother? It's not like you or Starbitch won't haul me back and make me suffer for even trying." She said before returning to her sit-ups._

_"Logical I suppose."_

_"Besides, I have it better here than I do out on the streets anyways. At least here you're forced to keep me fed and sheltered while Bitchy comes up with his whole master plan."_

_He smirked at her nickname for Starscream. He had at first scolded the femme for it but when she pointed out that all she ever heard Screamer do was complain or snivel... it kind of made sense to him... That and she loved to mock Screamer's stilettos._

_"But you haven't even tried to alert your peoples authorities with that computer of yours nor your cousin."_

_"Do you have to talk to me while I'm exercising? I do need to breathe unlike you." she glared at him. Her amber eyes burning with irritation as she sat up._

_"I am just trying to reason out why you haven't tried to resist our keeping you hostage little Jailbird."_

_"Only a fool fights a fight she can't win." she said as she crossed her arms over her knees before resting her head on them._

_He glared at her with his rust colored eyes. With a grunting hmph he dismissed the holoform leaving her in peace. _The femme is crazy if she thinks that they'll let her live for long after she's served her purpose_. He thought as he returned to his bipedal form._

_X_

_HIs charge was bleeding. Her left side was singed and bleeding from the blast that Starscream had let off in a fit of frustration. She whimpered as he cleaned the wound with the occasional glare in the jet's direction. He wanted nothing more than to see how Starbitch would like a hole to match the one that he had give to his femme..._

Wait... my femme? _His optics widened slightly at the thought._ _Where in the pit did his processors come up with_ that?

_x_

_x_

_"Cade?"_

_"Hm?" The holoforms chest vibrated underneath her as it rummbled with his reply._

_"Do you ever regret meeting me?" Zeke breathed as they stared up at the stars above. _

_His arms tightened around her. "No..." he whispered into her soft hair._

_A tear slipped from her left eye as this made her smile a sad smile. "There's no way out of tis is there?"_

_His spark ached at her words. "Don't say that."_

_"Cade, even you can't say that they won't try to kill me when this whole grand scheme is done and over with."_

_"Shh..." He tightened his hold even more, clinging her to himself as it slowly broke his spark to hear the truth spoke aloud. _

_"Promise me two things?" she said after several minutes of silent crying. She sat up, turning to face him. He noted the glistening tears on her cheek, gently brushing them aside and kissing her softly. He met her amber gaze with his own dimly glowing red one as he rested his forehead on her own._

_"What?"_

_"That you'll remember what I taught you... and that if it comes down to it, you'll fix my mistake... even of it's at the cost of my own life."_

_His spark wrenched tightly at her request. "You can't ask me to do that."_

_"Cade this is my fault. We wouldn't even be in this position if it hadn't been for me. I've fucked up so bad and Sam's going to die or become Megatron's plaything because of me. Hell I'm expendable at this point. Starbitch will most likely make sure to make me and 'example' to the others and the Autobots. We'll be lucky if Megatron doesn't make you kill me or worse, offlines you." She sobbed into his chest. _

_"Sweetspark..." He whispered as he ran a hand down her back as he tried to calm her. "You can't ask me disregard your life."_

_"Barricade I'm as good as dead. Even you know that, and don't tell me not to say it dammit. Promise me you'll help me save Sam, for me please." she whispered into his chest._

_"I... Promise..." He whispered as he held his shaking, weeping femme for what was most likely the last time..._

_x_

_x_

_"I left his guardian in the alleyway. I'm not sure how long we've got till he wakes." he said as he gunned his engine and tore for the rendezvous point. "Are you sure about this?"_

_"Cade I've told you I have no choice if I'm to get this damn thing off of me." She glared at the watch. "... Are you sure the block is still working?"_

_"Starscream nor Soundwave can hear anything at this moment."_

_"Starbitch..."_

_He snickered weakly at her correction before he sobered up. "Ezekiel..."_

_"Don't you dare start Cade."_

_Silence filled his cabin as they sped through the city. The occasional city light briefly illuminating his holoform and her... Her lip was quivering slightly as she bit it to keep from saying anything. _

_"Ezekiel..."_

_"No."_

_"This might be the only chance I get to say it."_

_"I don't want you to say it."_

_"Zeke please." He said as he turned to look at her. "I need to tell you that I-" A finger was placed on his lips as she glared at him tears glistening in the occasional street light. _

_"No Cade..."_

_x_

_x_

_"I won't let him have you. I promise this..."_

_"Don't make promises you can't keep." Zeke whispered. "We both knew that things would end up like-" She was cut off by him seizing her lips with his own in a gentle kiss... He broke it off as he ran his hand tenderly across her cheek. "'Cade... There is nothing you can do."_

_"Don't. Don't say that." _Please..._ he added silently as he begged with all of his spark._

x

x

"ENOUGH!" Barricade's anguished cry was strong enough both physically and mentally to jar the telepath out of his processors. Neal staggered as he returned to himself, blinking back tears as he stared over at the mech with a sad gaze.

The doctor lowered his head. "I am so sorry."


	29. Chapter 28: Cake

-.- Mercy's on the violent side today unfortunately... But hey it's a new chapter... so yays to the crap ton of caffeine that's got me wired... yay!

Many thanks to everyone that's reading this. And of course top honors to Answerthecall.

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers

* * *

Chapter 28: Cake

x

x

x

Mercy glared at the crowd of drooling men, a torque wrench held defensively in her grip as she glared at them. "I said back off! You aren't getting any until the birthday girl shows up."

"Then get her here already woman! I want cake before ol' Ratchet finds out about it." A tall bald african amercian man groaned.

"Oh come now Epps it's not like you're that deprived of sweets."

The crowd parted to reveal a tall forties-ish brunette in with Autobot blue eyes garbed in a lab coat, a chartreuse dress shirt and dark slack standing there, his arms crossed as he eyed the cake and the woman defending it.

"Damn it!" Epps grumbled under his breath.

"Don't even think about it." Mercy growled her green gaze full of the promise of pain. "No one touches this cake unless he wants to suffer through testicle retraction."

Ratchet raised a brow at the woman's brazen declaration before a slight smirk lit his face.

"Okay Mercy I found her!" Blue cheered as his holoform and Oliver walked into the room, one had his hands over her eyes while the other was covering her ears. T hey stopped short of the cake and removed their hands leaving Annabelle to stare at the massive double sheet double layer cake.

She stared with wide eyes before turning and tightly hugging Mercy. "Thank you! I can't believe that you remembered!"

"You doubt that I would remember your birthday? As if. I'm just sorry that I wasn't able to make it key lime like I wanted to... Now... cut your cake before I have to maim someone."

x

x

x

Will was buried under yet another stack of paperwork when Optimus' holoform entered his office.

"William."

"Oh hey Optimus what's up?"

The raven haired holoform smiled grimly. "I believe you remember the boy that has been residing with Bluestreak?"

x

A clean cut black haired holoform wearing a dark uniform wandered the base, despite the orders from Ratchet not to do anything taxing on his systems. But after several stellar cycles of being tortured and bound tightly, Prowl for all his rule abiding self needed to do something besides lay on a berth... even if that meant using his holoform. He had used it since the last planet he had been on and was still not used to using it. He was even more leery of using his holoform after the Decepticons had snuck up on him and captured him while he had last been using it.

Prowl had just left the med bay after hearing report the human doctor had given Jolt about what he had learned from Barricade. To think that the ex-Con had fallen in _love _with one of this planets natives... it hurt his processors as he fought the glitch that had almost occurred from the original thought of that. He was waking past the humans offices when he past the one assigned to the colonel.

"I believe you remember the boy that has been residing with Bluestreak?" Prowl froze at Prime's voice.

"You mean Oliver right?"

"Indeed. Bluestreak has informed me of a situation with the boy." Prime vented. "It appears that the boy is a runaway."

"... The higher ups aren't going to like that." Will said quietly.

Prowl frowned as he let his logic get the better of him and he scolded himself for eavesdropping. _Prime will inform me of the details I'm sure of it..._ he thought as he moved away quietly as he backtracked to make his way to the rec room.

x

x

Torri smiled as she listened to Mercy grumble and growl at the soldiers that were clamoring for a second piece of cake before the others had even made their way through the line for the first time.

"I swear this is like college all over agian..." Mercy groaned to her as she handed Torri the extra slice she had set aside.

"What having 'nam flashback's?"

Mercy smirked. "Never take a pizza through a guy's dorm. Hey! Get the hell outta here Epps! Save some for the others!" Mercy slapped his hands as he reached for another slice.

"Haha buen intento Epps." one of the men smarted off in spanish.

"Shut it Fig! Oi how come she's got two?" Epps eyed Torri.

"Because one is for the guilt trip I'm going to be giving your commanding officer considering he's not present." Mercy said with a wink as she stepped aside and let the cook take over the cake duty. She took the cake from Torri and made her way over to the one that the soldiers were steadily avoiding, the one they had deemed 'Ratchet'.

"Aren't you going to partake my masterpiece?" she asked with a grin.

"I do not require human food."

Mercy shook her head. "Blue sure likes his cake." she said pointing over to him. He was currently avoiding a finger dabbed with frosting being wielded by a giggling Annabelle. "So it can't be that bad for you. Besides if I remember correctly, Blue told me that the holoform converts the stuff it ingests into that ener-stuff you guys live off of."

"It is called energon."

"So... Keith over there told me that you'd be out for my head for making the cake. So when can I expect my demise?" she smirked before she was whacked on the back of her head. "Ow!"

"Stop antagonizing him Mercy." Torri sighed as she came up behind her sister. "And get that cake to Will before it gets stale."

"Hmph. Doesn't matter since I'm shoving it in his face." Mercy snarked as she stalked away.

Torri sighed in annoyance as she took a seat next to Ratchet. "I swear she's going to be the death of me." Torri rubbed her temples. A chuckle had her shooting a glare at the holoform. "I'm serious."

"I'm sure you are Torrine."

"Torri please. I'll even go by Hawkins if you insist but don't call me Torrine. It'll ease the tension since we're stuck working together."

Ratchet shook his head. _What is it with these humans and their instant use of nicknames? _"Very well then Torri."

x

"Ha!" Blue cried as he lobbed a lump of frosting hitting Annabelle in the cheek. She squeaked and swiped Oliver's slice and smashed it into Blue's face much to Oliver protest.

"My cake!" Oliver cried. "Seriously must ya always use my stuff to assault him? You still have half of your slice left!"

"Sorry Ollie... but call it revenge for signing me up for that stupid crown." Anna smirked.

"Gah..." Blue groaned as he wiped the frosting off. The two stared at him for a second before bursting out in a fit of snickering and giggles. "What?"

"The frosting... left ya blue..."

Bluestreak sighed as he looked at the icing on the napkin. "It would figure..."

"Bluestreak." Blue stiffened at the voice which drew the two teen's gaze towards the man standing with his arms crossed. His blue eyes coldly glaring at their target.

"Hey Prowl... I see you finally got out of the med bay." Blue smiled weakly at his brother.

"Oh I'm still in the med bay... Blue we need to talk."

Blue shifted uneasily at the stern tone in Prowl's voice. He had a nasty feeling in his tank that he was not going to like whatever it was that the older praxian was going to say.

"Is that your older brother Blue?" Oliver said as he blinked at the holoform. Oliver stood up and held out his hand when Blue mutely shook his head. "My name's Oliver." He said as he smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet ya."

Prowl stared the boy over as he put the boy's face to memory and began running a facial comparison through another processor as it searched the national police databanks. The boy held out his hand for well over a minute before he realized Prowl was not there for a pleasant reason. He sighed at the boy's nervousness crossed his feature... and as his search came up fruitful. "I wish I could say the same Jacen."


	30. Chapter 29 Out of the Bag

I've also been stewing on this chapter for a couple days having written it out at least three times. This was the less angsty of the three and so I decided to go with this.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

As always many, many thanks to Aswerthecall for reviewing!

* * *

Chapter 29: Out of the bag

x

x

x

Oliver stiffened at the tone of Prowl's voice. _How... how did he know...?_

"I'm am going to assume that I am correct then about your true identity. That you are indeed Jacen Oliver Knox. You do realize that your parental units have been searching for months for you since you ran away?"

Oliver hung his head to hide his face from the mech. His fists clenched till his knuckled were white.

"What do you think you are playing at? They are worried and are very adamant that you be returned to them."

"Prowl..." Blue was standing in front of Oliver. "Let's go have that talk."

"After the boy answers me."

_:No now!:_ Blue growled as he grabbed Prowl's arm and began to pull him away. _:I will not allow you to upset Oliver. And that is the one subject that is taboo with him right now. He's nervous enough just being here-:_

_:Bluestreak the boy belongs with his family.:_

Bluestreak growled and before he could stop himself he was sending a databurst of how he had met the boy over the public commlink. _:Tell me if he really needs to go back to _that._: _

Every Autobot who had a holoform in the gathering had stiffened and was staring at the boy with wide eyes filled with anger and sadness for the events that had brought him into their midst. Oliver was looking at the ground when Prowl spoke again, "Jacen-"

"Anna, It was nice hanging with ya and all but I'm going for a walk." Oliver cut in as he shot a weak smile to her and promptly shoved past the holoforms and made his way out of the mess hall. "Don't follow me Blue." he said over his shoulder.

Bluestreak released his brother's holoform, shooting him a withering glare as he dismissed his own. Prowl sighed before dismissing his holoform. Annabelle blinked as several others vanished from the room.

"Wonder what pissed them off." Epps said as he scored his second slice of cake.

x

x

x

Optimus was in the middle of a sentence when Bluestreak's databurst hit the commlines. He had barely suppressed a groan and had apologized to Will before dismissing his holoform. Leaving Will starring at the space he had vacated for mere seconds before his office door burst open and Mercy walked in.

"What is it now Mercy?" He asked sending a minor prayer that he had called the right name.

"I thought you might want some of Annie's birthday cake."

Will winced as his eyes flashed to the partially buried calendar. "Damn it I knew I forgot something..."

"Yeah you did." Mercy said taking a seat across from him as she slid the cake in front of him. "But fortunately for you she's used to you not being there."

Will let out a sighed as he ran a hand down his face. "You know why I had no choice back then. If there was any way I could go back and do it all over I wouldn't have cut myself out of her life. It's the one thing I regret."

Mercy eyed him with a cautious gaze before smiling. "Then I suggest you start now. Annie's in the cafeteria right now. Go spend sometime with her. All of this shit will still be here tomorrow."

"I guess you're right."

Mercy leaned across the desk. "Of course I'm right." she said before picking up the slice of cake. "You're just like Torri, and I know you and Torri too well." she said before smashing the cake into his face.

"Mercy!" he yelled as soon as he cleaned the cake from his face, just in time to catch a glimpse of her fleeing out his door.

x

x

x

To say that the bot's were mad was an understatement. While most of the Autobot's had yet to meet Blue's young friend, most were appalled by the databurst he had sent. But none of them were growling as much as Ratchet.

_:I want that boy in my med bay first thing in the morning.: _the medic growled at Bluestreak.

Blue vented as he regretted his slip up. he had only meant to send that databurst to Prowl. He had spent most of the last few breems apologizing while listening to the officers discuss the situation. _:Yes Ratchet. I will attempt to drag him there first thing so long as I can find him. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't hide somewhere on me until his nerves calm down. He is afraid that we or at least the soldiers are going to send him back. And I doubt that he'll want to talk to anyone right now. Me least of all.:_

_:As long as the soldiers don't let the boy off the base it shouldn't be that much of an issue getting him to the med bay at some point tomorrow Ratchet.: _Optimus pointed out. _:I have spoken to Colonel Lennox concerning the boy and have come up with several notions to keep the boy from having to return to his creators. But it is the boy's choice in the end what happens. Not yours Bluestreak.:_

_:Yes sir.: _Blue replied.

x

x

x

Ratchet vented angrily. He was not only mad at Bluestreak but himself as well. _I should have scanned the boy when I first saw him. I should have take over from that woman... _Ratchet's eyes narrowed at the sudden thought. _She knew. Or at least had the notion that he had been abused... _

Before his ire could refocus on the new human medic his comm link began to ping.

_:Ratchet here what do you want?:_

_:It's Ironhide.:_

_:Don't tell me that Eject is in stasis...:_

_:He's not the problem... We are currently sitting outside of the hospital in Round Mountain.:_

_:...Why?:_

Ironhide was hesitant in his reply. His reluctance to answer clear. _:Remember how Eject said he found a place to wait for us?:_

_:What has that have anything to do with you being at the humans hospital?:_

_:Promise not to say anything to Prime or Sam for the time being?:_

There would only be one reason that Ironhide would ask him not to tell Sam..._:... You're kidding me. You actually found her.:_

Ironhide snickered over the commlink. _:Of all the places for Eject to make planetfall and he lands in _her_ backyard...:_

x

x

x

"You look lonely."

"Hey dad." Annabelle smiled at him. "How's things going?"

"A mountain of neverending paperwork and reports. Nothing new other than your aunt assaulting me with cake. So where's your friends?"

"Oliver went for a walk and Blue was having a tiff with his brother the last time I saw them..."

Will smiled sadly. "I heard. I'm sure things will work out. I've got a few ideas on what to do to help out Oliver. But enough on that, I brought you something." He held out the small picture frame. "I know that you lost everything when the con's destroyed the house... and I figured you might like this. Sorry I couldn't wrap it..."

Annabelle stared at the photo quietly. Will watched as tears filled his daughter's eyes before she turned and hugged him as best as she could, he smiled as he glimpsed the loving smile of his Sarah.

x

x

x

Oliver stared out at the distant rain clouds on the horizon watching as the lightning illuminated them with brilliant hues of purple and orange. He was currently sitting on the roof of one of the hangers, and where he should have had some common sense to start heading in he just couldn't help but watch the oncoming display of nature's fury.

It matched his emotions at this moment in time, seeing as he was still afraid that someone was going to force him to go back... He was dead certain that Blue had spilled the beans, especially if all of the stares he had been given were indication, and this made him a little more than annoyed, but not at Blue but Prowl.

_He didn't have to be such an ass. _Oliver thought as he rested his head on his arms. _I know that my parents are searching for me. Hell I figure the only reason they are even bothering to look for me is so that the bastards can finish killing me like they originally had planned... I don't want to go back, but I don't want anyone's pity either._

"And here I thought I was the only one stupid enough to come up here before a storm."

Oliver glanced over at the speaker. "Hello Dr. Wentauker."

"Oliver." the man smiled as he sat down at the edge of the roof. "Enjoying the view?"

The boy said nothing as the psychiatrist stared out at the storm. After about five minutes Oliver asked the question that was plaguing his mind. "Did they send you to find me?"

"No."

The two sat in silence as they watched the storm approach, the combined smell of petricor and ozone on the breeze. It was only when the storm was less than a mile out that the man stood up and offered Oliver his hand. "I know that you don't want to hear it, but things will work out in the end Oliver. Now let's go inside before we get struck by lightning."

Oliver shook his head but took the hand anyways. "So they did send ya to talk to me."

"Nope. I'm just really good on picking apart people's emotions." Neal said with a wink. "It's what makes me such a good head shrink."


	31. Chapter 30: Idle Threats

New Chapter! Whoot! So I finished The Reason She Left and I already started Reconnecting which does follow this story line to a point and degree. Yay!

I've been noticing that Mercy has an awful potty mouth and I think I might have to up the rating... Does anyone think I should?

Also... I Need help with something... I was thinking of having either Mercy or Torri pairing up with Lennox... but I am unsure which one I should do... So gimme some input people!

Many thanks to Answerthecall for reviewing!

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

* * *

Chapter 30: Idle Threats

x

x

x

Ratchet was unnerved and unable to fall into recharge after his conversation with Ironhide. Discovering that Mikaela was alive had been the highlight of his day.. well night. When she had initially left Sam, completely breaking the boy's heart as well as several sparks of those closet to the girl (I.E. himself, Jazz, and Ironhide); they had searched for her and kept tabs on her for several months right up to the cursed day the Decepticons had decided to attack the immediate families of the NEST members. Her father's garage had been on of many places destroyed in the blast on Tranquility, Nevada.

When it was determined that there were no survivors from the garage they had all assumed she was dead... Until an unaddressed letter had shown up three years ago. But Sam, still bitter over losing her and how she had left him... had simply threw the letter away.

Ratchet vented as he slowly made his way out of the rec room and into to the quiet main hangar... or at least it should have been quiet.

"Fucking gremlins... Why the hell does it have to be a gremlin? Stupid irritating broken piece of junk..." the female voice growled loudly before the was a small zapping sound. "Shit!"

Ratchet made his way over towards the source of the commotion, the line up of the base's Jeeps that needed to be repaired and inspected by the mechanical staff.

"Damn you..." she growled, her form bent over the engine fiddling with the wires.

"Is everything okay Ms. Hawkins?"

The woman jolted at the sound of his voice and banged her head on the hood of the vehicle with a hiss. She turned only to glare up at him. "Hasn't anyone told you to make some noise _before _you speak to someone who's obviously busy?"

"I am sorry Ms. Hawkins-"

"Mercy." she interrupted him.

"Pardon?"

"My name is Mercy. Mercedes if you must be so formal but Torri is the Ms. Hawkins of the two of us." Mercy said as she rubbed her sore head.

"Very well then Mercy, don't you think it's a little late to be working?" The Autobot medic stared down at her before running a scan over her. "You should be in recharge."

"I'm not tired."

"My scans would say otherwise."

"I'm not going to bed. Not right now." Mercy shook her head. "Besides I almost ripped the computer out of this poor thing when you startled me. I can't leave it like that, I don't care to piss off my coworkers. Not a good way to start a new job." she said reaching back into the jeep.

Ratchet vented at the woman's stubbornness and transformed into his altmode before activating his holoform and walking over to the woman. "... You need sleep Mercedes. You are exhausted."

"I don't want to sleep."

"I wasn't giving you an option." He said quietly before there was a sharp prick in her neck.

"You bastard..." She growled as the sedative worked it's way through her system fast...

x

x

x

"Oliver... Oliver... Come on Ollie... Wake up..."

Oliver groaned as he was slowly dragged to the waking world by Bluestreak's holoform... "Go away Blue..."

"Come on you've gotta get up."

Cracking an eyelid he glanced at the alarm clock and turned his face into his pillow. "Blue it's four in the morning... Go away."

Blue sighed and ran a hand through his black hair. "Ollie I'd love nothing more than to let you sleep but Ratchet wants to see you."

"At four in the damn morning? 'ell Blue I'm sure da amish folks ain't even outta bed yet... Let me sleep..."

"Oliver if you don't get out of bed and into my alt mode I'll carry you outta here."

Grey eyes were lifted from the pillow to stare at the gently glowing blue one's. Oliver sighed as he crawled out of his cot and walked to the door as the holoform vanished. "Dragging me outta bed at this unholy hour... ya'll gonna pay.."

"... Remind not to give you your paintball gun back..."

x

x

x

Torrri blinked the sleep out of her eyes as she cradled the coffee in her hands, wincing slightly at the strength of it.

"-should have informed me about the boy." Ratchet finished his tirade.

Torri took a long swill of her joe before clearing her throat and looking over at the chartreuse medic. "I do not really know anything about Oliver, Mercy has spent more time with him and Blue than I have. And if she did know about him being a runaway she sure as hell wouldn't have told me. I would have been forced to alert the authorities or risk losing my license. And even you know that our systems are flawed when it comes to runaways... They either send them back to the hell they came from or send them to a worse one ninety percent of the time."

The doors to the med bay opened and Blue walked in carrying Oliver in his servo. The boy was glaring at him muttering threats under his breath.

"Hello Oliver." Ratchet greeted the boy who turned his glare at him. Ratchet brushed it aside and motioned for Blue to put him down. "I'm sure you know why I asked Bluestreak to bring you in this morning."

"Yeah I know why... but it couldn't wait till later in the day?"

"Unfortunately I have business that requires me to leave the base today and I informed your guardian that I wanted to see you this morning."

"I'll have ya know that the sun isn't even out and it constitutes as night right now." Oliver growled.

"Enough sass Oliver." Torri grumbled over her coffee as Ratchet scanned Oliver.

"Hey that tingles..."

"Numerous electrical burns marks, the cracked ribs are more looked as if they were on the mend when they were recracked, traces of healed hairline fractures in his jaw bone, left eye socket, multiple evidence of past broken bones..."

Oliver crossed his arms. "Are you done?"

"I am with my scans, but I've asked Dr. Wentauker and Dr. Hawkins to talk with you about the level of... treatment that you have endured at the hands of your creators. Torrine I leave the boy to you. Bluestreak you are not to tell anyone I've left the base or I shall make your next check up as painful as possible." Ratchet said as he exited the med bay.

"... Can I get some of that coffee?" Oliver blinked at Torri.

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Later the next morning...

To say that Mercy was pissed when she woke up was putting it at an understatement. She had been woken by some commotion on the Autobot side of the Med Bay.. After remembering the incident that had put her there she had made her way, stormily through out of the Med Bay and through the base.

After about three cups of coffee the lingering drowsiness had worn off to a point where she could think of something besides death threats and so she found herself once again working on the jeep she had been working on... The gremlin was gone, making her suspect (since there was still no one working on the jeeps) that Ratchet had fixed it for her in guilt. Not that it mattered to her at this minute she was still thoroughly pissed at him...

"How in the devil is there so much freaking sand in this thing?!" Mercy growled as she shook the sand out of her face. "Sure we're in the middle of the freaking desert but still this is worse than a dune buggy that has been driver _through_ the freaking sand dunes."

A male throat cleared itself as she was pulled out from under the jeep. A pale blonde haired man glared down at her. _Now where have I seen him before? _Mercy thought as she frowned up at him. "Why the hell did you do that for?"

"Why are you working on that jeep?"

_Oh... it's the asshole from the other night. _"What does it look like?"

"It looks like you're messing with my payload. I'm the mechanic here, sweetie."

Mercy bristled at the endearment. "My name is Mercy. The Colonel assigned me to help you out."

"I see." the man said staring down at her. "Then you can get to work on washing the other jeeps and let me fix what you were taking apart. You can address me as either Michael or Sir to get my attention when you are done." he said with a wink.

_Oh he did not just do that... _

"Well get to it woman. I need to see what the hell you were doing under there." he said as he pointed at the line of vehicles coated in dust.

_I swear if I catch him watching me he will pay... _she thought darkly as she pushed herself off of the floor.


	32. Chapter 31: Med Bay

New chapter! New Chapter! XD I wasn't really sure what I was going to do in this chapter... But hey it made it to the page to be written so here it is!

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers

Many thanks to Answerthecall for reviewing and thanks to the rest of you that are reading this. Don't be afraid to give me some constructive criticism I can handle it folks!

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Chapter 31: Med Bay

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After washing about ten of the jeeps Mercy had stalked out of 'The Shop' as they had dubbed the part of the main hangar where the repair area was. She was now sitting on the counter in the Human med bay watching Torri sit through the files that coated her desk.

"I swear it's so freaking boring..."Mercy groaned as she fiddled with her new toy. "The ass only let me wash the jeeps today like he was afraid I'd screw up or something..."

Torri sighed as she blinked up from the file she was reading. "What do you want me to throw you a pity party? He's probably not used to working with someone. And would you stop messing with that damn wrench you're driving me nuts. And I really need to go over these files before check-ups come up."

"Yeah well _I_ find it relaxing... Besides I'm sure the guy was perving on me." Mercy grumbled.

"Mercy you're in a military base which by what I've gathered is predominantly filled with men. You know full well that someone ogling you is bound to happen."

"Well look who woke up on the bad side of the bed..." Mercy grumbled. "I'll just get out of your hair." she said pushing herself off of the counter and made her way out of the office. A loud thud echoed loudly from on the other side of the room. Mercy blinked at the door and glanced back at the office where her sister was buried in her work and shrugged as she went over and peeked in.

"Would you hold still?"

"That hurts!" Bluestreak whimpered from where he was currently lying on his stomach plates while a blue mech worked on one of his doorwings which was hanging loosely from a few wires and cables.

"It's not my fault you're rusty in your servo to servo combat." a silver mech muttered from his position by the door. "Hey Jolt I'm going to go check on my brother." the mech said before wheeling out of the room.

Mercy carefully slipped in and shut the door staring at the huge Autobot med bay. _Wow... It's like someone mashed both Torri's and my version of Shangri-La together and this was the brain child..._

"Mercy? What are you doing in here? Shouldn't you be working right now? Or did you get off early? Or did you run out of things to do and decided to explore the base? Ouch Jolt be careful with my wings!"

"I was curious to what all the banging sounds that were coming from in here so I decided to check it out." she said as she leaned against the door.

"I thought you lost Trusty when your place got destroyed." Blue eyed the torque wrench in her hands.

"I did. I acquisitioned this one from the tools down in the shop... I was going to return it but... I think I'm gonna keep it... Call it payback for the way the other mechanic treated me today..." she grinned. She eyed his door wing as Jolt worked on reattaching the apparently delicate wires. "If it hurts so much why don't you temporarily disable the pain receptors in them you dunce? I'm sure it'll make Jolt's job a bit easier."

Both bots blinked at her for a minute.

"Why didn't I think of that?"

Jolt shot Blue a glare. "I told you to do so. You were too busy talking to hear me."

"Um.. would you mind if I watched from a better advantage point?"

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"Again Sam, I am sorry about your loss..."

Sam smiled at Will from over Bee's roof. "Thanks Will... Look I'll be back in a week, just try to keep the base from going up in flames while I'm gone... I don't want a headache on my first _official _day as the new liaison."

"See you two later." Will said as Bumblebee peeled out of the hangar. He sighed, feeling slightly guilty for handing Sam his new assignment... even if was what he had wanted all along in the first place.

"Hey dad!"

Will looked over to see Annabelle jogging towards him. "Hey Annie. What are you up to?"

"I was curious if you've seen Mercy around I went over to the shop but she wasn't there." Annabelle crushed her hair out of her facce as she smiled at him.

"Sorry sweetie I haven't seen her... Say, it's lunch time would you like to grab a bite with me?"

"Um sure..." the girl said as he led them towards the cafeteria. "Say dad..."

"Yeah?" Will glanced Anna at her nervous tone..

"How did you meet mom?"

WIll blinked at her, and for a second he almost stopped walking, but caught himself before she noticed. "You mean Torri never told you?"

"I never really asked them."

"Well... I first met you mom when I was... 'dating' your Aunt Torri."

Anna frowned at him. "Wait _Dating_ dating or a friends with benefits dating... Wait no don't answer that. I really don't need to know that..." Anna shook her head as she tried to push the mental image away before it could form.

Will chuckled as she shook her head. "It was a little of both... But it didn't last long. For some reason, Torri just ended it one day and that was that. We remained friends and I hung out with her and the rest of the family often enough but that was all we were in the end, friends."

Will handed her a tray as they joined the food line. "I went over to your grandfather's house to say goodbye to Torri who had taken leave before being shipped out. But as my luck would have it she was out with Mercy, and Sarah was waiting for them to get home. We sat around talking for a while when Mercy called us to say that they had broke the axle on the charger and would be late since they had to wait on their father to come pick them up.

"I honestly think it was a set up because halfway through that night you mother told how she felt. And to tell you the truth, I spazzed."

Anna frowned at her father.

"I had just dated your aunt and here comes your mother telling me she's been into me the whole time? Yeah I was afraid that Torri and Mercy were going to rip me to shreds... Plus it felt like I was betraying one of my best friends. Of course when Torri did come hunt me down she did tear into me, called me an idiot and told me that she could tell I had feelings for Sarah and that she gave me her blessing."

"She did?"

Will smirked at the memory...

_"Will you are such an idiot you know that?" The brunette glared at him, her green gaze boring holes into him. _

_"Look I.. I like her but I can't just do that to her- to you. Torri I still like you... granted I am insanely attracted to Sarah but it would be like cheating on you with her!"_

_"Idiot." she growled as she pinched the bridge of her nose before she stalked up to him, poking a bony finger into his chest. "I know you like her just admit it and go out on a date with her. I've known you've liked her for a while I'm not blind William. It's the reason I broke it off. I know the two of you have it bad for the other one. I can see it in both your and her eyes. Just do me one favor and please don't break her heart."_

_Will cupped Torri's face with a hand. "Are you sure you won't hate me?"_

_The green eyes glance away from his as Torri avoided looking him in the eye. "Better you than some asshole that I don't know right?"_

Anna broke his thoughts with the innocent question: "Say dad... you don't still like Torri do you?"

Will choked on his water earning a giggle from Annabelle as the water spurted from his nose while he sputtered. "Whatever gave you _that _idea?"

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"So then you're just about done then right?"

Jolt smiled at the human. "I just need to make sure his sensors are still working and I think he's good.

A loud growl and the sound of metal hitting metal thundered through the med bay causing Jolt to jump, startling Mercy as he gave a staticky growl and marched through the doors that the silver bot had disappeared into ages ago.

"Blue... What's all that ruckus?" Mercy asked as Blue sat up and gave his doorwings a twitch.

Blue blinked and commed Jolt. _:What's going on in there?:_

_:Sunstreaker's fully awake finally and his idiot twin just informed him of our guest. I could use some help in here!: _Jolt growled over the open comm line.

Bluestreak scrambled from the berth. "Stay here Mercy." he said as he bolted out of the room. Mercy frowned at the door swung shut behind him, the sounds of fighting echoing loudly. She glanced around for a way to get down from the shelf she was on.

_x_

_:Jolt where is Ratchet?: _Optimus asked the two.

_:Pit if I know. He hasn't been the med bay all day!:_

The vent was expressed over the comm as Optimus replied, _:I'm on my way.:_

_:Thank-:_

_x_

A loud thud thundered through the room as Mercy's feet hit the ground. "What the hell was that?" she muttered to herself.

x

_:Sunny just knocked Jolt into stasis!: _Blue cried.

"Sunny just Stop! You can't just beat the slag out of him! Argh! Sideswipe get your aft up and help me with him!" Blue cried as Mercy poked her head through the door to gaze into the large hallway. Bluestreak was on the back of a golden yellow mech who was currently trying to throw the gunner off. The silver mech was back on his pedes and in front of the mech who must have been the brother he'd referred to earlier.

Mercy spotted Jolt in a heap on the floor. The yellow mech growled as he tried to push Sideswipe out of his way.

"Sunny just stop! Prime will throw you in the brig if you even try to do any-"

"Shut it Sides it's not like you don't want to slag the fragger anymore than I do! He deserves to be offlined for all of the slag he's done." 'Sunny' growled as he threw Blue off of him and into the silver mech.

"Damn it Sunstreaker!" Blue growled as he grabbed the yellow bot's pede in his rebound. "Just calm the frag down!"

"Get off of me before you ruin my paint even more!" Sunny growled as he lifted Blue by his doorwings. Blue let loose a sharp screech at the pain in his freshly repaired wings.

"Hey!" Mercy yelled and before she knew what she was doing her new wrench hit Sunny in the face. "Jolt just fixed those you dingy yellow piece of scrap metal!"

It went quiet in the hallway as the three bots stared at her with wide optics before the yellow one's narrowed on her and he released Blue as he stalked down the hall towards her. "What did you say squishy?" he growled.

Mercy swallowed hard, frozen in place as she watched him approach, a complete deer in the headlights look written on her face.

"For the love of Primus woman don't just stand there run! Mercy run!" Blue cried as he scrambled to his pedes. Mercy jolted out of her paralysis and bolted for the door just as it burst inward slamming her harshly into the wall.

"Oooh that's gotta hurt..." Sideswipe commented as Sunny grinned at the human's misfortune. One that faded that when he saw who had ground the pathetic fleshie into the wall.

Blue winced as the other bot's filed into the hallway after Prime, each hitting the door, further squashing the woman into the wall. He shoved his way past the others and knelt down to pick up the now unconscious woman from between the door.

"Oh Mercy..." Blue cupped her inert form in between his servos and shot a glare at Sunstreaker.

"Sunstreaker..." Optimus sighed as the mech in question stood up straight as he glared at Optimus. "Do we have to force you back into your medical berth or will you go willingly?"

Sunstreaker grit his denta before marching back into the room he'd come out of followed closely by his brother and Prime. The triplets and Dino were rebooting jolt when he made his way back to the human med bay.


	33. Chapter 32 Grief

Okay I am sorry I took so long on getting this chapter up, I had a little bit of a writer's block going there for a couple days...

Anywho... I havta warn ya'll this is an angsty chapter. but I needed a teeny time jump.. (like a couple days) and this was a easy way to skip a day whoo! XD

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

Don't worry about the others I'll be back to em soon enough. I just need to help Cadecade break out of the funk he's in...

Also to those of you who have been reading The Reason She Left and Reconnecting, you'll probably get what's on Megsy's processor... and as a warning, large parts of this chapter will appear over in Reconnecting.

A thousand and one thanks to Aswerthecall for reviewing.

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Chapter 32: Grief

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A couple days later...

Bee was worried about Sam. The death of his cousin had hit the man hard, his mother even harder. On the trip to Tranquility Sam's stress level had yet to lower, Bee could tell the human was blaming himself...

"In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our sister, Ezekiel; and we commit her body to the ground..." The preacher read from the book in his hands.

Sam stared at the casket with hard eyes as the casket began to lower into the ground, his eyes hard as he held his weeping mother as she openly wailed. Ronald Witwicky stood beside them both rubbing a reassuring hand on his wife shoulders, his eyes damp. The threesome watched as she was commended to the earth... Bee felt sad for the girl for in the end only three people had even graced her funeral... Despite the fact that Sam had pointed out she had a stepmother and two half siblings...

"Earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless her and keep her, the Lord make his face to shine upon her and be gracious unto her and give her peace. Amen."

Bee felt a pang of guilt as the preacher closed the book. He couldn't help but feel sorry for his charge's family, but he felt guilt over the circumstances that had brought them to this point... Because of the human's government keeping their existence under tightened lips, the Witwicky's had been sworn to silence under punishment of treason should they let it slip...

They had cut this poor youngling out of their lives with only the barest of phone calls and letters to bind them. When she had disappeared, Sam had feared to worst, and ironically it had been the worst if what Ratchet and the telepath had gotten off of Barricade.

Thoughts of the ex-Decepticon made him growl, his engine revving lightly in anger. If the bastard had really developed a Guardian-Charge bond with her then why the hell hadn't the 'Con do something _sooner_ to get his charge out of harm's way? They wouldn't be here at this point if...

Bumblebee sighed and shook his head as he remembered something Sam said on the way to Tranquility as Bee had tried to express his condolences...

_"What's done is done... it's not like we can change anything that has happened, Bee. If I could have made my parents take Zeke in when her father died I would have, If I had know about her association with Barricade, I would have tried to convince her not to go through with their plan, If I, if I, if I... There are so many 'ifs' but this is how it came out. And there is nothing that can change the fact that she's gone."_

A hand on his holoform's shoulder broke him from his thoughts as Sam stopped beside him. "Sam..." Bee started but Sam only shook his head.

"Bee... Let's go for a drive."

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"He's been in there for five days." Starscream muttered as he glanced at the door to Megatron's quarters.

"He was fine according to my readings Screamer. I'm not going to pester him to find out what he's thinking. The only thing I know that won't guarantee a swift offlining to anybot is news that we've gotten the ship fully operational." Hook commented as he urged the mech towards the med bay.

Megatron growled in annoyance as their voices faded. He had been here for five days because he had felt something he hadn't felt in Cycles.. It had flared so bright to his sensors admists his battle with his deserter that it had given the slagging mech the opportunity to get away... But no sooner than he had felt that energy, it had vanished and remained untraceable since.

_:Lord Megatron.:_

_:Yes Shockwave what is it?:_

_:I have finished stripping Sentinel Prime of all useful data. It appears that he only had half of the plans for reconstructing the space bridge. The other half he deleted seeing as he collaborated with another mech. However I have found some useful scientific research in his memory files which I intend to use to further our cause... However I need some volunteers and some test subjects.:_

Megatron grit his denta. _Of course the slagging Prime had deleted his memory files. Sentinel more than likely didn't intend to go through with his plan to help him restore their world and let _me_ be the one to rule it. _

_:Do what ever you want to Sentinel. Either make him one of your test subjects or offline him.: _

Megatron growled over the comm link before returning to his search.

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Barricade was staring at the ceiling of his cell, counting the tiles, wile his processors tried to keep from thinking over his grief. Today was the day of her funeral... He almost considered asking Autotwit (aka Bumblebee) for send him a databurst... but he knew that with his luck, the stress put on Bee's charge would be blamed on _him. _And truthfully he didn't blame the Camaro one bit for placing the blame on his helm.

The telepath had just left, after spending the better part of a hour to get him to talk. His HUD flashed his energon levels for the eighth time in the last half an hour, registering at 21%. He ignored it once again with a soft vent.

"Hey Barricade!"

He didn't acknowledge the smaller bot in hopes that Brains would just go away and leave him to rust in peace.

"I've got somethin' to show ya... Are yer comms a working?"

Red eyes narrowed on the microformer as Barricade turned his helm to glare at him. Brains stepped back a couple of steps. "Aight then..." He said nervously as the larger mech returned to staring at the ceiling.

He almost believed that the little pest had left until the most beautiful sound he could have heard that moment echoed in the brig...

Zeke's mirthful giggle had his spark ache longingly as it's sweet sound filled it brushing back the sorrow...

"Help me Obi Wan Kenobi!" The sound of her bursting out in a full out laugh as the other two mechs followed suit. "Okay, okay I'm sorry Cade I couldn't resist."

Barricade was staring at the hologram that Brain's had projected. She smiled brightly into the camera as she whacked Brains playfully. "Sit still Brains I don't want you making him dizzy when you show this to him."

"Dontcha mean _if_ we have to show him sweet stuff?" Wheelie as her smile faded.

Zeke shook her head. "Just film this damn it." she said before taking a deep breath and smiling again. "Hey.

"If I am right and things play out the way I think they're going to, I figure you're still online if you're seeing this. And if I know you well enough you're sulking aren't you? Don't deny it." She crossed her arms.

"Look Cade, don't blame yourself or I swear I will come back to haunt your aft. I made my choices, I could have left when you _told_ me to leave. Hell, you gave me more than a dozen chances to get out, but I was too damned stubborn to take' em. This is my fault. And don't you go on about pinning yourself into offlining because you can't live without me. You have done so for millennia before me, and you will continue to do so.

"I know that when you come to pick me up in twenty minutes you'll probably go on to pester me about trying to sparkbound with me even though you know that it's improbable to think about it and most likely impossible to moot."

Tears glistened in her eyes as she smiled.

"So hopefully you'll find it in yourself to not only forgive yourself but me as well. I just wanted to let you know that you saved me, and nothing anyone else says will change the fact that you redeemed me in the long run.

"I love you Cade, so you better live for me. Now cut the transmission Brains, Wheelie." The girl said before finally turning from the small bot, wiping at a tear that fell as she walked away, the hologram faded.

Barricade vented softly coolant threatened to leak out of his optics. He returned to his former position before growling at the tiny mech, "Please leave."

_"Live for me."_

"Zeke..." he vented as he thought on her bright smile. "You are wrong... I didn't save you, you saved me."


End file.
